Persephone's Love
by redhotblackdress
Summary: A new agent joins the team and rules get broken. I have big plans for this one if anyone likes it. First fic in nearly a decade! Some sex and language. FINAL CHAPTER ADDED finally on 4/26/10. TIVA spin off coming soon. :
1. Chapter 1

I haven't written any fanfic in probably 8 or 9 years. Here's a go..It's based on a character I created + Gibbs and the rest of the crew. I have a lot more in my head, so if anyone likes, I will keep writing. :) I promise, I will get better as I go along! Thanks so much for reading.

******** PS: I've only been watching NCIS for a few months now and I've watched a ton but I may not have everything straight. I appreciate any helpful tips on getting my facts straight. Still learning! Thanks all :) *******************

* * *

The elevator seemed to move in slow motion. Percy had never had such a bad case of new job anxiety before. Of course, she had never moved across the country to work for one of the sector's most infamous agents either. The previous night had been spent awake remembering all the things her former coworkers had said about her new job, and her new boss. The elevator ground to a halt. This was it.

Percy followed the director out of the elevator, her eyes moving rapidly around the office.

"Gibbs!" the director called. Gibbs looked up and pushed back his chair. Percy could see him address her with critical eyes, and felt her heart beat even harder.

"Gibbs, this is special agent Percy Williams, from Los Angeles. I've got a meeting, so I will let you introduce her to the rest of the team. Agent Williams, welcome aboard," the director said in a rush. He nodded at Gibbs, gave Percy a polite smile and headed back to the elevator.

"DiNozzo, David, McGee," Gibbs fired off as he motioned toward each agent. "Your desk is right there," he said, pointing to the desk behind his own, "Welcome to the team." With that, Gibbs sat back down at his desk. DiNozzo stepped up and stuck out his hand, "Anthony DiNozzo, but you can call me Tony," he said, with a wide smile. _Somebody considers themselves a ladies' man,_ Percy thought to herself with a smile as she shook his outstretched hand. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a smirk on the face of Agent David. "This is Ziva," Tony said, motioning to his still smirking counterpart. She nodded at Percy and sat back down.

"So, why did you leave the Los Angeles office?" McGee asked. Before Percy could answer, she was interrupted by Gibb's voice. "This isn't a party. Get to work." Tony and McGee quickly retreated to their desks, and Percy followed suit. She sat for a minute, unsure of what to do first. She pulled open an empty drawer and unclipped her gun, placing it inside.

"Gear up. We've got a missing Marine," Gibbs announced, as he rose from his desk. The rest of the team immediately jumped up. Gibbs whipped around and gave Percy a look. "Coming, agent Williams?" he asked with a tone of annoyance. "Yes, sir! Sorry, sir," Percy responded, nervously. She grabbed her gun and followed Gibbs and the rest of the group to the elevator. She could see Tony and Ziva exchange amused looks as she stepped on. She took a deep breath to calm her stomach. There was no reason to feel regret yet, she told herself, things had only just begun.

* * *

Percy rubbed her eyes and rolled her head from side to side. When you get ready for your first stakeout as a new agent, you're excited. Then you actually participate in one and realize that ninety-five percent of what happens at a stakeout is boring and tedious. This one was no exception. Percy turned around and glanced at Gibbs, who sat at the window monitoring the apartment building across the street. Even after almost twelve hours, he was just as intense as he had been when they started. Of course, as Percy had learned in her nine months working with him, Gibbs was _always_ intense. At least he was when it came to his job. Percy let her mind wander, wondering if he brought the same level of intensity to the rest of his life. What was a man like Gibbs like in the…

"Yes?" Gibbs asked, raising an eyebrow at Percy. She could feel her face burning hot. _Does he know what I'm thinking?_ "Just giving my eyes a quick break from the uh, computer screen," Percy mumbled as she turned back to her post. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ "Tony and Ziva are on their wa –," Gibbs was interrupted by the familiar sound of Tony and Ziva arguing as they entered the room. "Who do you _not _undress with your eyes, Tony?" Ziva asked in a mocking tone. Tony opened his mouth to respond, but stopped when he noticed Gibbs giving him the stare. Tony and Ziva were quickly brought up to speed on the current situation, which hadn't changed much, and ready to take over for the night. Gibbs opened the door, and motioned Percy to go ahead of him. He followed her out, and shut the door, locking it behind him. They walked down the apartment corridor in silence. As they rode down the elevator, Gibbs looked over at Percy. "Hungry?" he asked. Percy could feel her heart in her throat, which seemed totally unnecessary. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ "Yeah," she said, nodding. "My treat," Gibbs said, giving Percy a relaxed smile. She forced herself to smile back, despite the fact she felt like she might vomit.

Percy's thoughts raced at a break neck speed, as they headed toward the place Gibbs had in mind. _He's your boss, stupid, you're not supposed to find your boss attractive. Not to mention, he's got to be close to twice your age. He is not interested in you. He is way too professional to ever get involved with one of his agents. Don't read into things that don't exist. Deep breath, relax, you're just tired after a long day and you're not thinking clearly. _They parked, and Gibbs turned off the engine and opened his door. Percy brought herself back to reality and exited the car, following Gibbs to the door.

The restaurant was nearly empty. There was one other couple sitting on the opposite side of the small room, looking very into one another. The atmosphere was dark, lit by a few soft low lying bar lights. There was jazz quietly playing in the background. A waiter approached the table. Gibbs motioned for Percy to order first, and then ordered himself a shot of whiskey. The waiter departed and they were left alone in silence again.

"Gibbs, can I ask you something?" Percy asked quietly.

"Go ahead," he said. She swallowed a little too loudly.

"Uhm, well, I just wanted to know, honestly, how I was doing? Like, at my job," Percy stumbled over the words, "I just want to know if I am doing what you want, or if I should change something. I want to do a good job."

"If you weren't doing a good job, you wouldn't _have_ a job," Gibbs replied in a serious tone. Percy could feel the heat creeping into her face. Gibbs' face relaxed and he smiled at her. "Percy, you're doing a good job. Relax a little," he said. Percy gave him a nervous smile and nodded.

"Thank you, sir. Just tell me if that ever changes," she said.

"Trust me, I will," he said, giving her an amused look.

* * *

While at the restaurant, Percy had managed to relax and carry on relatively normal conversation with Gibbs. Now that they were back in the car, driving in silence, she could feel her heart start to beat faster. Since they were going to be doing a stakeout all day, Percy had taken the train to work and ridden with Gibbs to the stakeout. Now he was taking her home. They pulled into the apartment complex and Gibbs parked the car.

"It's late; I'll walk you to your door." He said, in response to what Percy assumed was a surprised look on her face. "Thanks," she said. Gibbs followed her through the complex, up the stairs, down the hall to her apartment door. Percy unlocked her door and pushed it open, stepping inside. She turned around to face Gibbs.

"Thanks for dinner and the escort," she said, trying to give a natural smile. He gave a slight nod and smiled back.

"Thank you for a job well done," he said, "Have a good night."

"You too," Percy gave a wave, and Gibbs turned toward the hall. Percy shut her door and exhaled loudly. She felt a wave of loneliness wash over her. She wondered if Gibbs had already made it to the stairs. For some inexplicable reason, she just wanted one more look. Percy quietly turned the door knob and pulled the door open.

"Looking for something?" Gibbs asked, in a soft tone. He was standing against the wall across from Percy's door. Percy just looked at him, her mouth parted but no words came out. He stepped slowly across the hall. Percy could feel her heart beating violently in her ears and throat. She could see the intensity she had pondered earlier alive and well in his eyes. Gibbs now stood just inches from Percy, one hand resting on the door frame.

"What do you want, Percy?" he asked, huskily. His voice sent a chill down Percy's spine. She took a deep breath.

"Would you be here if you didn't already know?" She replied, surprised at the seductive tone of her own voice. Gibbs smiled and slipped his free hand around her waist, pulling her body to his. He kissed her, softly at first, and then harder. Percy put her hands on his face and kissed him with a heat she hadn't experienced before. They moved back into Percy's apartment, and Gibbs pushed the door closed behind them. He now had both hands on Percy's waist, and moved them down over her hips and around to her ass, pulling her against him. She could feel his erection, and moved her hips back and forth against it. She heard him exhale sharply and he began quickly unbuttoning her shirt. In a few seconds, they were both in their underwear, kissing roughly. Gibbs grabbed the underside of Percy's thighs and lifted her up. She wrapped his legs around him, and they made their way to her bedroom, their hungry kisses never ceasing.

They tumbled together onto the bed, quickly removing the last of their clothing. Percy pushed Gibbs onto his back and straddled him. She kissed him on the mouth and then traveled down his neck, across his collar bone and onto his chest. As she explored his body with her mouth, she took it all in. He was firm with just the right amount of definition and smelled intoxicating. The near helpless sounds of enjoyment coming from him made her smile. She made her way back up to the head of the bed and kissed him on the forehead. He smiled at her, before quickly throwing her on her back and sliding himself inside of her. She called out his name with a gasp. Not the name she called him at work, but the name a lover should use.

Jethro sank down beside her, her body still quivering. The lovers she had in the past seemed like inexperienced boys compared to him.

"Wow," Percy whispered. Jethro chuckled slightly and rolled onto his side to face her. He smiled and ran his fingers lightly down her chest, between her breasts, down to the lower part of her belly. Percy slid closer to him and pressed her body against his. He held her, and kissed her head. _It's all too perfect, _she thought to herself.A lump started to rise in Percy's throat. What would happen now? Out of all the work rules you're not supposed to break, this was number one.

"Jethro, what…" she started.

"Shh. Let's go to sleep," he said. He kissed her shoulder, and closed his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two... :) More to come! Thanks for reading.

* * *

Percy stretched out lazily in the bed, hovering in the comfortable state just before waking for a moment before her eyes flew open. Everything from the night before came flooding back. She looked behind her at the empty bed, and felt a thick lump rising in her throat. _What the hell did I think was going to happen, anyway?_ Percy closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. When she opened them again, she could see him standing in the doorway. He was leaning against the doorframe, his shirt still unbuttoned; giving Percy a look she couldn't really read. Percy quickly wiped away the tear that rolled down her face.

"You didn't leave," she said, quietly.

"I wouldn't do that," his tone matched hers, "I was just looking for coffee." He smiled.

"Did you find it?" she couldn't help but smile back.

"Yes," he said, walking over to the bed. Jethro sat down next to Percy and reached out to stroke her face. She took a shaky breath and mentally willed the tears to disappear from her eyes. Neither one said a word for a couple of minutes. Jethro opened his mouth but Percy interrupted him.

"I know. I know what you're going to say. This shouldn't have happened, and it can't happen again. I don't have any delusions," her words tumbled out. He sighed.

"I'm sorry, Percy," his voice sounded sad. More silence followed. Percy breathed deeply and slowly, trying to calm the sick feeling that was eating at her abdomen.

"I have to go. McGee is meeting me to take over for Tony and Ziva," he said. Percy nodded and tried to say okay, but the words had no sound. Jethro leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. He stood up and turned to leave the room. He didn't turn around again. A few minutes later, Percy heard her front door open and close. The tears spilled freely now. She turned on her side and pulled the blankets over her head. She tried not to think about how much Monday was going to suck.

* * *

"Good morning, Percy," McGee said, sliding into his chair.

"Morning, Tim," Percy said, glancing up from her monitor and giving him a friendly smile.

The elevator bell dinged and Gibbs exited with his standard purposeful walk.

"Good morning," he said with no general direction. It had been two months since that night, and Percy still felt her heart skip a beat every morning when he came in.

"Morning," she and McGee echoed back. Percy heard her phone buzz and saw the message icon flashing. **Good morning, beautiful, I hope you have a great day today**, it read. Percy smiled to herself; Rob was such a good guy. They had been seeing each other for nearly a month, and he was big on romantic gestures.

"So how are things with the new boyfriend?" Ziva's voice startled Percy.

"Really well; he told me he's planning a big night out tonight for our one month anniversary," Percy told her.

"Ooooh. What about a big night_ in_?" Ziva teased.

"Ziva. Don't you have work to do?" Gibbs sounded terse.

"Yes, sir," Ziva responded, while throwing Percy one last _ooh la la_ look. Percy heard Gibbs' desk drawer shut loudly. At least, it seemed like he shut it with more force than normal. _You're just imagining things. He's not jealous. He's had no problem pretending like it never happened. Why would he be jealous? _Percy tried to ignore her thoughts and focus on finishing the report she was ' phone rang, and he spoke with the person on the other end for several minutes.

"We've got a dead sailor in Richmond," he said, grabbing his gun and heading toward the elevator. The rest of the team followed.

* * *

Percy flopped back onto the uncomfortable hotel bed. It was one AM in Richmond, and Percy had not made her date. Gibbs had requested the entire team, outside of Ducky and McGee, to stay the night so they could interview more local witnesses in the morning. Of course, Rob had been more than understanding and said he would move their dinner reservation to another night. Gibbs, on the other hand, had been blunt and irritable the whole day. Percy looked at the clock and wondered if the hotel bar would still be open. She stood up, grabbed her key card and headed downstairs.

There was one person sitting at the bar as Percy approached. She stopped and debated heading back to her room. Gathering up her reserve, Percy approached the bar and sat on the stool next to Gibbs.

"Hey," he said, looking over at her briefly.

"Hey," she said. Percy ordered her drink, and they sat in silence. _Jethro, you are the master of uncomfortable silences, _she thought to herself.

"Sorry you had to miss your big date tonight," he said, after several minutes.

"Really? You didn't seem too sorry earlier," Percy shot back. There was a pause.

"Work comes first, you know that," he didn't look at her.

"Yes, I am _quite_ aware of that," Percy's voice was telling. _Get a grip on yourself, Percy. _There was more long, painful silence. Gibbs placed several dollars on the bar and stood up.

"Good night, Agent Williams," he said, before turning and walking off. Percy didn't watch him leave. She stared hard at the back of the bar, willing herself not to cry. After managing to collect herself, Percy drank the rest of her drink, paid for it and left the bar.

* * *

The elevator doors opened to her floor. She headed down the hall and rounded the corner. Percy stopped dead in her tracks when she saw him standing by her door. He had his hands in his pockets. If it was possible for Jethro to look vulnerable, this was probably pretty close to it. Percy slowly approached him.

"I lied," he said. Percy could feel her heart beating hard in her throat.

"About what?" she asked.

"Being sorry about you missing your date. I'm not sorry," he said. _He was jealous. He wants me._ Jethro pulled Percy to him and kissed her hotly on the mouth. She melted against his body for several seconds. _Will this be any different? I can't do that again._ Percy pulled back.

"What's wrong?" his voice sounded hurt.

"Jethro, I can't go through that again," Percy felt tears welling up again. _I have to stop fucking crying so much._

"Do you think it was easy for me either, Percy?" he asked quietly.

"So what do you want now, Jethro?" she whispered.

"I want you," his voice was low and husky. Percy slid her keycard into the lock and pushed the door open. They tumbled into the room, exchanging kisses that held months' worth of longing. Percy could feel Jethro nearly ripping her clothes as he pulled each item off as quickly as he could. They fell back onto the bed, him on top. His pace slowed down, and his movements softened into gentle, prolonged ones. Percy felt goosebumps when his warm breath teased her neck. He drew his tongue across each of her nipples and down to her belly button. His fingertips slid easily into the edge of her wetness, and Percy's back arched in anticipation.

_I guess what they say about absence making the heart grow fonder is true_, Percy thought to herself. _At least it turns already great sex into really amazing, mind blowing sex_. Her chest was still heaving, and she could see the light sheen of sweat across Jethro's body. The images of their rhythmic motions already replayed in Percy's mind. She cuddled up to Jethro and wrapped her arms around him, an almost instant sense of exhaustion washing over her.

* * *

The alarm buzzed cruelly only a few hours later. Percy could immediately feel she was alone in the bed. She angrily swatted at the clock and turned the glaring red numbers toward the wall. Her hand touched a piece of paper lying on the nightstand. **We'll talk tonight**, it read. Percy sighed, and wondered what exactly they would talk about. For now it was another day of playing the game.

It was seven o' clock before they were heading back to Washington. Jethro had sent Tony and Ziva together in the other car, and Percy was happy to be left alone with him for the first time all day. They got into the car, fastened their seatbelts, and Jethro started it up. Percy felt a pang of disappointment; she had hoped he might kiss her. They rode in silence for nearly ten minutes. Percy could feel her disappointment start to turn into anger.

"You know, Jethro, now would be a really convenient time for us to talk," she said, her annoyance was audible. He shot her a quick look before focusing back on the road.

"So, let's talk then," he said.

"You're the one who left the note, so I am going to let you take the lead here," she retorted. He sighed, and there was more silence.

"Percy, I want you. There isn't any doubt about that. God, I feel like DiNozzo, because every time you pass my desk I find myself looking at your ass," he began, "The truth of the matter is we still have to keep it a secret; there's no getting around that. But, I don't want to fight this anymore."

"Neither do I," Percy said, softly. There was a pause, and Jethro spoke again.

"I can't make any promises. Except that I promise you I am not an easy man to be with."

"You're not always an easy man to work with, and I've managed to work that out pretty well," Percy smiled.

"Working with me is a cakewalk in comparison," he smiled back.

"I am not going into this with expectations, Jethro," she said.

"Good. Expectations only lead to disappointment," he replied, as he put his hand on her leg. Percy took it in her own hand and gave him a smile. Her emotions were a mixture of anticipation and fear. Getting into a relationship, if that's what this was, with a man who had three ex wives and even more ex lovers, was sure to have its problems. But, Percy didn't feel like she could handle anymore denying it. For better or worse, they were in deep now.


	3. Chapter 3

Percy held her coffee mug between both hands; it's warmth a contrast to the chill in the morning air. She looked across the table at Jethro, a slight smile playing on her lips. It had been an unusual Thursday night together. Generally they spent Friday and Saturday nights together, occasionally a Tuesday or Wednesday, but almost never a Thursday.

"What?" he asked, giving her an amused smile.

"Oh, nothing," she took a drink of coffee. Of course, there was something, but she felt too silly to bring it up. It had been three months since Richmond, and Percy felt herself falling deeper into him.

"Why don't I believe you?" he said, giving her the eyebrow.

"It's nothing, no big deal. I just happened to remember that this weekend was the three month mark since…you know," Percy felt her face redden, slightly.

"Yes, I remember as well," his voice was sincere. They sat in silence for a few moments, but this wasn't the uncomfortable kind.

* * *

The morning had started off with a bang; the team leaving the office as soon as they got there. There was a dead female petty officer found behind one of the dives in downtown DC. The body had already been collected and lay on Ducky's table. Percy had never been very comfortable with the sliced open bodies, even though she loved to spend time around Ducky. His stories were always entertaining, even when they were a bit long winded. He had started in on one of his stories at that point in time, but in typical fashion, Jethro cut him off.

"Cause of death, Duck?" he asked.

"Our poor girl drank something that disagreed with her greatly. There are chemical burn marks in her mouth, esophagus, and stomach. The burns caused internal bleeding, which would be the cause of death. Abby's running tests now, so we should know exactly what our mystery liquid was in just a short while," Ducky explained.

"Tony, Ziva, go back to the club and talk to all the bartenders. Find out if any of them knew our victim. Percy, pull the victim's phone records and bank statements, let's find out where she went and who she talked to recently. McGee, you and I will check her apartment," the team began to disassemble.

"Gibbs, the victim was close to my age. Don't you think I could be more useful at her apartment?" Percy asked, her voice tinged with disappointment and annoyance. Jethro whipped around and shot her a glare.

"If I thought that, then I would have asked you to come instead of McGee. I told you what I want you to do," his voice was icy. Percy could see Tony, Ziva and Tim exchange looks.

"I just thought it didn't make much sense, since Tim is much quicker at doing computer look ups, and…" she was cut off.

"Do any of the rest of you think that you can lead this team better than I can?" his voice was threatening.

"No, boss," Tony said quickly, as Ziva and Tim shook their heads in unison.

"If you don't like your job, Williams, I suggest you find another one," Jethro said, as he walked out of the room, the rest of the team close on his heels. Percy felt her chest rise and fall sharply. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath. She glanced quickly at Ducky, who was giving her a kind look. She nodded goodbye, and left the room.

* * *

Percy watched the time on her computer change from 8:59 to 9:00 PM, and then hit the shut down button. _What a fucking fabulous day_. Since her verbal bitch slap in autopsy, Percy and Jethro had barely spoken. He was out of the office, in the lab, down in autopsy, or in interrogation. Percy had been stuck at her desk since autopsy that morning. She hadn't even heard exactly what the mystery killer chemical had been, even though they'd already found the disgruntled ex boyfriend who had given it to the petty officer. Now, it was just her and Jethro, each at their respective desks. She could hear him typing something, very slowly. Normally, his lack of computer skills amused her, but currently she felt a surge of anger. The rest of the agents had left a few minutes ago, and Percy had waited, hoping that the ice man would melt a little bit. She stared hard at the back of his head, willing him to turn around. Jethro just kept pecking at his keyboard. Percy grabbed her bag and stood up. She walked past his desk purposefully, looking straight ahead the whole time. The elevator opened immediately and Percy walked in. When she turned around, she finally felt that lump in her throat and tears in her eyes. He wasn't standing there. The elevator doors shut, and Percy just stood against the back wall, staring at the control buttons through teary eyes.

After a minute, the doors opened again and Jethro stood on the other side. He stepped into the elevator, turning his back to Percy and hitting the button for the garage. A few seconds later he hit the switch, freezing the elevator in between floors. He turned back to Percy and sighed audibly.

"What exactly were you thinking?" his voice was softer than she expected. Percy took a deep breath and wiped her face.

"I don't know. I guess I just wanted to spend some time with you," she admitted, staring at the floor. "I felt like you were purposely keeping me away all day today. Even when we were collecting evidence at the crime scene, it seemed like you'd send me to the opposite side of the room. I kept telling myself I was being paranoid, but…" Percy's voice trailed off. Jethro sighed again, and rubbed his forehead.

"Percy, we are not here to _spend time together_. We're here to do our jobs. That means you do what I tell you to do, regardless of how you feel about it," he said. Percy forced a slight nod. The reassurance she wanted that he wasn't purposefully avoiding her wasn't going to come.

"Anything else?" Percy asked, still staring past Jethro.

"I guess not," he said, flipping the switch. The elevator jolted back to life and made its way to the parking garage.

* * *

Rain pounded on the car as Percy made her way home. That morning had been sunny with clear blue skies, but a storm had rolled in as the afternoon progressed. _It's only fitting, I suppose_. She replayed the day in her head, over and over again. She wondered if it was her fault for bringing up the three month anniversary that morning. _Maybe I've scared him. I'm too clingy. He really __**was**__ avoiding me today. It's my own fault in the first place for falling for my boss. God, I am stupid._ Percy pulled into her parking space, grabbed her bag and made a dash for the building.

Percy stared down the hall. It looked exactly like the last three halls she'd been down. The walls were covered in pink glass, and faceless portraits hung on the wall. There was one thing different though, she could hear a tapping coming from somewhere down the hall. Percy walked down the hall, and the tapping sound got louder. It sounded like someone knocking on a door. Percy's eyes flew open. It _was _someone knocking on the door; her apartment door, to be exact. She untangled herself from the blanket she was messily wrapped in, and got off the couch. Her stomach surged in unhappiness, and she cast a glance at the tequila bottle sitting on the coffee table. She made her way to the door, and opened it with the security chain still latched into place. Jethro peered in at her through the crack in the door.

"Can I come in?" he asked. Percy nodded and shut the door, undid the chain and let him in.

"I wondered what happened to that shirt," he commented, motioning to the tee shirt she was wearing._ So much for pulling the 'I don't care' act. It's hard to say I don't care when I am sleeping in his clothes._

"Sorry, you can have it back," she said, her fingers playing with the hem.

"Looks better on you," he said. Percy didn't smile. "You're still angry with me, I see," his voice sounded disappointed.

"Hurt, not angry. But, I think it's my fault, anyway," Percy said, staring at her carpet.

"How's that?" Jethro asked. He gently lifted her chin up, and looked into her eyes.

"Because I was too clingy; too needy. I don't blame you for trying to get away from me," Percy felt the embarrassment creeping in again. Jethro stroked her cheek softly.

"Percy…I don't think you're too needy. This whole thing is just…difficult," he said.

"Are you scared?" Percy asked, abruptly. He'll never admit it, even if he is.

"Yes, I am," he admitted. Percy was taken aback. "You have a general idea about my past experiences, Percy. It hasn't been all sunshine and roses," he went on, "You might even say I am a little bit jaded."

"Just a little?" Percy teased. He smiled at her, and drew her close, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He kissed her forehead.

"How about some breakfast?" Jethro asked.

"That sounds good. Let me get dressed," Percy said. Jethro caught the hem of the tee shirt with his finger and lifted it up just enough to get a peek at the pink panties underneath.

"Do you need any…help…with that?" he asked, sliding his palm up and down her thigh. Percy grabbed his hand and led him back to her bedroom.

* * *

"Busy in here today," Jethro commented, his eyes traveling the small diner.

"Yeah, we were lucky to get this booth," Percy said. They were sitting in the far corner of the room, attempting to get a little privacy. Percy reached her hand toward Jethro's, and he pulled away and slid quickly away from her.

"Abby!" he hissed.

"Gibbs!" Percy heard Abby's familiar sing-song voice. She took a deep breath as Abby approached.

"Oh hey, Percy, I didn't realize it was you. I'm glad to see you guys already made up. I hate when we fight at the office," Abby chirped. Jethro gave her a look.

"I see that the gossiping abilities of the team are alive and well," he said, dryly. Abby shrugged and grinned.

"Well, I'd love to join you guys, but I'm just here to grab something to go. I've got a busy day planned, so I hope nobody dies today. Well, of course, somebody somewhere is going to die, because that's just how life goes…but I mean, I hope nobody in the Navy, or the Marines, dies today. Because, I really hate to cancel my plans," Abby rambled.

"Abby, order up!" the owner of the diner called from behind the counter.

"Ooh, that's me! See you guys later," Abby hurried off. Percy and Jethro watched her as she paid for her food, and headed out the door, giving them a quick wave as she left.

"Oh my God," Percy groaned.

"Don't worry about it," Jethro said. Percy opened her mouth to protest, but the waiter was approaching with their food. After he left, she picked the conversation back up.

"What if she suspects something, Jethro?" Percy was worried.

"She doesn't. Don't worry about it," he repeated. He leaned over and gave her a kiss, but not before giving the room a wary once over with his eyes. Percy let the subject drop, but she knew he was worried too. It was just his nature.


	4. Chapter 4

Since Gibbs and Percy have gone through some ups and downs, I thought they deserved a chapter of romance and sexy time…so here you go. FYI: I think I am awful at writing smut. I can think it (heh heh), but I have hard time getting it down into words, so forgive me. I do the best I can! Thanks so much for reading and for the comments!

* * *

"So, what kind of plans do you have tonight for the big two six?" Tony asked, sauntering over to Percy's desk. Percy looked up at him with a slightly amused look.

"Been snooping in other people's files again, Tony?" she asked. He shrugged.

"Hey, I just like being able to wish my coworkers happy birthday, what's wrong with that? So, you didn't answer the question. Going out? Perhaps with some of your incredibly sexy, incredibly available girlfriends?" he gave her a wide grin.

"No, Tony. I'm probably just going to enjoy some quality time with myself, since it's such a rarity these days," Percy retorted, dryly.

"You cannot spend your birthday alone. We will buy you some drinks," Ziva chimed in, now standing by Tony's side.

"Yeah, of course! We'll take you out, Percy. You in, Probie?" Tony cast a glance back at McGee.

"Sounds good to me," McGee answered. _How am I going to get out of this?_ Percy had no plans to spend the evening alone. Jethro was supposed to come over whenever he finished with whatever mystery business he had been attending to all day. He had called her that morning to wish her a happy birthday and let her know he'd see her later on. Ever since the incident last month, Jethro had seemed almost…_sweet_. Not that he wasn't perfectly nice most of the time, but he had just seemed _softer_ over the last few weeks.

"Earth to Percy," Tony's voice interrupted Percy's train of thought, "So, what do you think? Home alone or drinks with your favorite people?" Percy smiled.

"It's very sweet of you guys to offer, but really, I have been looking forward to a night in sweat pants for weeks. Can we go out together on another night?" she asked, hoping that they'd let her off easy.

"Twenty-six years old and too tired to party. That's what working for Gibbs will do to you!" Tony shook his head.

"Well, we can go out, Tony. You, me and McGee," Ziva suggested. Tony thought about it for a minute.

"Hey, Probie, what time is it?" he asked McGee.

"It is 5:01 by my clock, Tony," McGee answered.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Tony and Ziva headed back to their desks. The rest of the team made short work of gathering their stuff, and were soon heading toward the elevator.

"Hey, if you change your mind tonight, Percy, give us a call," Tony called out.

"Thanks, guys. Have fun!" Percy waved them off.

Percy's phone rang just as she approached her car in the parking garage. It was Jethro.

"Hey, good timing. I was just leaving," Percy answered.

"I'll be a little while longer here," Jethro said, "Could you do me a favor?" Percy stuck her lip out for a second before answering.

"Sure, what do you need?" she asked.

"Could you stop by my place on your way home and pick something up for me? I forgot it when I left this morning and I need it," Jethro asked, "I really wanted to head straight to your place after I was done here." Percy felt a flicker of annoyance.

"Sure, no problem. Where is it?" she asked, trying to keep a pleasant tone.

"It's on the kitchen counter. Thanks, Percy. I'll see you soon," Jethro ended the call. Percy gave her phone a dirty look. She slipped the phone into her bag, and tossed the bag into the passenger's seat. _Happy birthday to me, errand girl extraordinaire._

Percy walked up to Jethro's front door and tried the handle. It was unlocked, as always. She stepped into the entry way and made her way to the kitchen. She could see two white boxes sitting on the counter. One was a thin flat box, and the other looked like a …. shoe box?

"I've never been a very good liar, you know," Jethro's voice caused Percy to jump. She turned around to see him walking toward her. He motioned toward the boxes on the counter.

"Go ahead, open them," he said. Percy immediately felt guilty for feeling irritated about the phone call.

"I, uh…" she trailed off as she opened the flatter of the two boxes. She fingered the silky red material, and looked at Jethro.

"I didn't buy it, a friend did. But, I did tell her what I imagined you in," he smiled at her suggestively. Percy threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He slipped his arms around her and kissed her neck.

"You should put it on. We've got dinner reservations," he whispered in her ear. Percy loosened her grip and looked at him with a grin plastered on her face.

"So, you are romantic after all," Percy teased.

"I manage to get something right once and a while," he replied, with his own broad smile. Jethro picked the dress up out of the box and held it front of Percy. She quickly removed her work clothes, dropping them in a pile on the floor. Percy unzipped the dress and slipped it over her head. She turned her back to Jethro.

"Zip me?" she asked. He zipped the dress and pulled Percy close to him, placing several quick kisses on her shoulder and neck. He grabbed the other box off the counter and handed it to Percy. She popped off the lid to find a pair of strappy black shoes.

"Be sure to tell your friend I said thanks," Percy said with a smile. Jethro just smiled. Percy stepped into the shoes, which were a perfect fit, just like the dress. She stepped back and did a twirl for Jethro. He looked at her thoughtfully.

"It needs something," he said, pulling out a flat gray box and handing it to Percy. She opened it up to see a small circle of diamonds hung by a delicate silver chain.

"Oh my god, it's beautiful!" Percy exclaimed. She fought the urge to bounce up and down like a ten year old girl at Barbie world. Jethro lifted the necklace out of the box, and motioned for Percy to turn around. She swept her hair to the side as he placed the necklace around her neck and fastened it. Percy turned back to face him.

"What do you think now?" she asked.

"Perfect," he said, softly.

* * *

Percy took another sip from her wine glass. God, that is really good wine. She could see Jethro looking at her with an amused look.

"Having a good birthday?" he asked.

"Quite possibly the best ever," Percy said, the wine's influence notable.

"Good," Jethro said. Percy took the last bite of her crème brulee, and licked the back of the spoon in what she hoped was a subtle manner. Jethro had coffee, which was no surprise to Percy.

"So, what made you do all this?" Percy asked.

"I need a reason?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, I guess not, but it just seems like a lot. I mean, it's been really amazing and I just don't know what I did to deserve it," Percy said, fiddling with her napkin.

"You've put up with me," Jethro said. He gave her a quick smile before it dissolved into a more serious face. "I just wanted you to know that you're important to me. I regret the way I handled the situation last month, and I guess I wanted to make it up to you." Percy reached across the table and took Jethro's hand in her own.

"I forgive you, Jethro," Percy said, "Besides, you were right. Even if you were a bastard about it. I shouldn't have challenged you like that." They looked at one another over the table.

"You ready to get out of here?" Jethro asked, smiling again. Percy nodded.

* * *

Jethro shut the door behind him, and locked it.

"I didn't think that worked," Percy teased. He gave her a fleeting look before grabbing her by the waist and pulling her close. Percy could feel the hunger in his kisses. It felt like he wanted to devour her, and she loved it. In seconds the red silk dress fell off Percy's shoulders into a pile around her feet. Jethro ran his hands down both sides of her body, tracing the curves of her waist and hips. Percy could already feel that he was incredibly turned on. They slowly moved together into the living room, the kisses getting rougher as they went. Percy's fingers fumbled with the buttons on Jethro's shirt, finally finding the last one and pulling it back over his arms. He guided Percy down onto the couch and pulled his tee shirt over his head as she went for his belt. Jethro grabbed Percy's arms and pinned them down on the couch, straddling her hips. Percy felt a shiver run through her body. Jethro leaned down and kissed her mouth, and moved down her neck and chest, mixing the kisses with soft bites. He let go of Percy's arms and grabbed her bra straps, pulling them down over her arms, and exposing her breasts. He teased each nipple with his tongue and mouth, and Percy writhed underneath him in pleasure. She ran her nails up and down the back of his neck. Jethro moved back up to Percy's mouth, and kissed her, slowly and softly. Percy took the opportunity to unfasten his pants and start to push them down. He stood up and dropped them to the floor. His boxers followed shortly thereafter. He leaned over and slowly pulled Percy's panties down her legs, and over her shoes, which she was still wearing. Percy spread her legs slightly, a teasing smile on her face. Jethro dropped back down to the couch above Percy. His hand traveled down her stomach and down between her legs. He ran his middle finger along the edge of her wetness, and Percy felt goose bumps pop up on her thighs.

"Are you going to just tease me?" Percy whispered. A moment later, she felt him slide inside of her and she exhaled sharply. They moved together in unison, with no words, just heavy breaths and deep kisses.

_I love you._ Percy wanted to scream it out as they climaxed, but she resisted. Jethro had his head buried in her neck, his chest heaving. Percy wrapped her arms around him and kissed the side of his head. She felt blissfully happy, yet scared by the prospect of it being love. Anything she felt before seemed trivial compared to the way she felt now. Percy felt a pang at the thought that he might never say those words to her. _Give it time, Percy._


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay, I'm ready, tell me," Percy said into her phone. Her best friend since junior high, Elena, had called her with big news that she was just about to share. Percy already had a feeling she knew what it was.

"I'm getting married!!!!" Elena shrieked excitedly.

"Oh my God, Lena! That's wonderful! I am so happy for you!" Percy responded excitedly. Although she truly was happy for her former partner in crime, she couldn't help but feel a moment of jealousy.

"I want you to be my Maid of Honor, Pers, please, please, please. I know it's kind of a pain in the ass to be a long distance Maid of Honor, but I promise I will make it as easy as possible on you and I can't picture anybody else doing it for me," Elena gushed.

"Of course, I would love to!" Percy reassured her.

"I miss you so much. When are you going to be able to come home and visit? You've only met Kyle once, and I would really like you guys to get to know one another," Elena sounded wistful. Percy hadn't been home to Arizona in nearly nine months, since she'd left California for DC. When she lived in California, she had been able to make it back at least once a month. Home sickness washed over her.

"I miss you too, Lena. Work has just been crazy. I will try and schedule some time off soon to come out there. A long weekend, or something," Percy promised. They spoke for a few minutes about wedding ideas and what they would do when Percy made it to town.

"Okay, well, I need to go, but I'll call you soon! Love you, Pers!" Elena said.

"Love you too, Lena, bye!" Percy ended the call. She sighed and leaned against the wall for a moment. She hadn't even told her best friend about her relationship with Jethro. They had been…involved… for six months and as far as Percy knew, nobody knew about it except for them. Percy sighed one more time and then headed back down the stairs to Jethro's basement.

"Everything alright with your friend?" he asked, looking up at her.

"Yeah, she's doing great," Percy responded.

"Good," he said, turning back to his work. Percy always enjoyed watching him work on his boat. Between the concentrated look on his face, and the way his arm and back muscles moved when he worked, Percy found the whole thing pretty sexy. But, now she just felt a little sad watching him. Things had been going well between them, and they had seemed to settle into a comfortable pattern. Percy didn't dwell on the future of their relationship on a daily basis, but she couldn't stop her mind from wandering after Elena's news. Jethro still hadn't said the three words that Percy really wanted to hear. She usually just told herself that the way he looked at her, and the way he touched her, conveyed that he loved her. _Even if he says he loves me, he will never want to get married._ Percy sighed audibly before she could catch herself.

"Everything okay?" Jethro asked, looking at her curiously.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I think I'm just tired," Percy lied.

"Why don't you go take a nap?" he suggested.

"That's not a bad idea. Actually, I have some things I need to do at home. I think I might head over there," Percy said. Her eyes flickered across the room.

"Are you sure everything is okay? It seems like you're not telling me something," Jethro sounded concerned. _God, it is impossible to lie to him._

"I'm fine, Jethro, I promise. I'll call you later," she said, walking over to him. His eyes were searching hers for a clue. She gave him a quick kiss and headed up the stairs.

* * *

Percy peered over Tim's shoulder as he flipped through the online photo album.

"Yeah, since my cousin's wedding my Mom has been asking me when I am going to get married," he sighed, "Are your parents giving you a hard time about it yet?"

"Not really, thank God. But, my best friend did just call me yesterday to tell me she's getting married. We had always talked about how we would get married and be each other's Maid of Honors," Percy shared, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She felt a presence over her shoulder and turned to find herself face to face with Jethro. She could see a flash of understanding on his face.

"I take it you're done getting the information I asked for, McGee," he said, heading back to his own desk.

"Uh, working on it, boss," Tim closed the browser window and went back to work.

"Heading to Abby's lab. Percy, come with me, please," Jethro said, already heading that direction. Percy could feel her heart start to beat a little harder. Outside of the one time in the elevator, several months ago, they had never brought up their relationship while in the office. Percy followed Jethro into the elevator. In a few seconds it had lurched to a stop. Jethro turned to face her.

"Percy…" he started.

"Jethro, I know, you don't have to say anything. I was just homesick yesterday. I'm fine," Percy forced herself to look him in the eyes. They stood in silence for a moment, Jethro's eyes studying Percy's face.

"I wish you wouldn't lie to me," he said, softly.

"I'm not," Percy said, knowing very well that she was. There was another pause.

"You aren't stuck with me, Percy. I understand if this isn't what you want…" his voice was nearly a whisper. Percy felt a flood of tears rush to her eyes. _No, no, no._ She fumbled for the switch and set the elevator back in motion, only to have Jethro stop it again. Percy took a deep breath.

"Please, don't do this right now," she said, her voice wavering. She hit the switch again and the elevator finished its trip. The doors opened, and Percy bolted for the bathroom.

Percy blew her nose one last time and slid the latch open on the stall. She jumped when she saw Abby standing on the other side.

"Are you okay? What's wrong? Is there anything I can do?" Abby's voice was sweet. Percy shook her head.

"No, I'm okay. Thanks, though," she said, giving Abby a weak smile.

"Do you need to talk about it?" Abby asked, following Percy to the sink.

"It's just some family stuff. It's been hard to be away from them so long," Percy said. _At least if I'm going to lie, I might as well base it on the truth. _Percy splashed some cold water on her face. Abby handed her a wad of paper towels. After she dried her face, she turned to see Abby with her arms extended. Percy smiled slightly as she accepted the hug.

"Must be one of those days," Abby started, "Gibbs just came into my lab like a bulldog. Do you have any idea what's going on with him?" Percy shook her head, praying her face wouldn't betray her.

"Oh well. Hey, you should try and go home and see your family," Abby said, shifting the subject back to Percy.

"I agree," Percy said, nodding. They exited the bathroom, and Abby gave Percy another quick hug before heading back to her lab.

* * *

Percy stepped out of the plane and into the corridor. She couldn't believe that she was home. After her talk with Abby, Percy had gone straight to her desk to fill out a request to take off the rest of the week. Jethro had signed the approval form without a single word. Here she was, the next day, on the ground in Arizona. Percy walked faster as she approached the baggage claim area. Seconds later she could see Elena's pale blonde head bobbing up and down as she waved excitedly at Percy. Percy dropped her carryon to the ground as her best friend threw her arms around her neck. Percy could feel a lump forming in her throat.

"Everything okay, Pers?" Elena's voice was concerned.

"Yeah, I just really missed you," Percy smiled.

"I missed you too! We have so much to catch up on!" Elena said.

"You have no idea," Percy said, watching the conveyer belt for her bag. She glanced over at Elena, who was giving her an expectant look. Percy just smiled at her. Her bag appeared around the corner and she grabbed it.

"So…are you going to tell me what it is I have no idea about?" Elena asked.

"Yes, but not now. Let's go back to your place first. Trust me, you'll want to be comfortable for this one," Percy said, with a slight sigh.

"I cannot believe you have been fucking your boss for eight months and you never told me. If I didn't love you so much, I would be really pissed that you hid something so juicy from me for so long!" Elena exclaimed. Percy shook her head with a smile.

"We haven't been fucking for eight months. We had sex for the first time eight months ago, but it was two months after that that things really began," Percy corrected her.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Elena said, her tone a mix of amusement and sarcasm. Percy had told Elena every detail of the bumpy road she and Jethro had traveled since their first encounter, only leaving out the most recent developments.

"So, what's the story right now? Are you going to bring him to the wedding? You can of course. I would love to meet him," Elena said. Percy's smile faded away. "What's wrong? Did you guys have a fight? Is that why you came out so quickly?" Elena reached out for Percy's hand.

"Yeah, pretty much. I mean, I wanted to come out here anyway, but, yeah, you could say we had a fight," Percy said, quietly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Elena's tone was inviting. A tear ran down Percy's face.

"Lena, I'm not sure what to do. I'm not sure what he wants. He's never even said he loves me. I tell myself he _acts_ like he does, but he won't say it. And, I know he never wants to get married. Like I said, he's been married four times already. I love him…" Percy sniffled hard and wiped her face with the tissue Elena handed her, before continuing, "I just don't know what to do. The day before I left, he said that I wasn't stuck with him and he understands if _this_ isn't what I want. But I do, I want him! I'm scared he is trying to say that he doesn't really want me, but he doesn't want to hurt me…" Percy sunk into Elena's open arms and cried on her shoulder. It felt like a river of relief to tell someone about her and Jethro, but verbalizing her fears made them all the more real.

Percy stuck her hand out and felt for her phone. She had nearly drifted off to sleep when she heard it buzz. She grabbed it and glanced at who was calling. It was him.

"Hello?" she answered it.

"Did I wake you?" he asked.

"No, I wasn't asleep yet," Percy replied. There was a pause, but she could hear him taking a deep breath.

"I just wanted to say hello," his voice was soft.

"Hello," Percy said. There was more silence.

"I miss you," Jethro sounded sad. This time, the pause was on Percy's end.

"I miss you too, Jethro," she finally responded.

"Good night, Percy."

"Good night." There was a moment before the click. Percy placed the phone back on the nightstand and snuggled back into the blankets. A smile played on her lips. _It's not I love you, but I miss you is a pretty good second choice._


	6. Chapter 6

NOTE (please read!): I had such a hard time with this chapter. Initially I wrote something all happy and lovey, but I decided that it was a little too soon for a happy ending.. Then I tried ANOTHER start to the chapter, and I didn't like it either… So this is actually version #3. It's a little rough, even after doing a lot of changes…I've got more stuff in mind now, and I'm a lot happier with the overall direction. Hey… life has its ups and downs, right? Thanks, as always, for reading!

* * *

Percy paused at the door to Jethro's basement. She had originally planned to fly back Saturday, but decided to catch a standby flight Friday afternoon instead. They hadn't spoken again since his call on Tuesday night. Percy took a deep breath and opened the door. She walked down the stairs slowly. She could see Jethro sanding carefully; he looked peaceful when he was concentrating like that. Percy stopped near the bottom of the stairs, and stood against the railing.

"You're back early," Jethro said, not looking up.

"Yes, I am," Percy replied. There was an unsurprising silence. "How was your week?" she asked. Jethro put down his sanding block and looked up at her.

"Lonely," he said. Percy felt her heart flutter. Jethro walked across the basement to the bottom of the stairs. Percy stepped down to the bottom step, where they stood face to face. She reached out to touch his face and he kissed her hand.

"Jethro?" Percy started.

"Yes?" he asked, expectantly.

"Be honest with me," she said, looking into his eyes.

"I always am," he returned her look.

"When you told me in the elevator that I wasn't stuck with you…" Percy took a deep breath, "Do you feel stuck with me?"

"No," Jethro said, quickly, "You're young, beautiful, smart; I'm an old cranky bastard." He smiled slightly, before continuing. "I just don't want you to feel stuck at a dead end." Percy felt a tinge of sadness. _Does he think we're at a dead end? Is this all we can ever be? _She kept her thoughts to herself.

"I don't feel stuck, Jethro," she said, not feeling entirely truthful.

"Good," he said, kissing her nose and wrapping his arms around her.

The smell of sawdust filled Percy's nose. She could feel Jethro's arm draped over her, and hear his rhythmic breathing. It was uncommon for her to wake up first, but it they had fallen asleep together on the couch, and Jethro always seemed to sleep better when he wasn't actually in a bed. Percy snuggled her face into his chest and breathed him in. They had talked for hours the night before, but not about their relationship. The only hint he gave was that he wanted to take Percy on a trip to some cabin in the woods at some point in the future. It was little consolation for Percy's deep seated frustrations. Percy startled when Jethro's cell went off. She reached behind her and grabbed it off the coffee table, placing it in Jethro's hand.

"Gibbs," he answered it, his voice groggy. He listened for several minutes and told the person on the other end that he'd be there in about half an hour. He hung up the phone and kissed Percy on the forehead.

"I've got to go," he said, as they both untangled themselves and got off the couch.

"Where are we going?" Percy asked. Jethro gave her a look.

"You're still in Arizona, remember?" he reminded her.

"Oh, right, I guess I am," Percy frowned.

"I'll call," he said, giving her another kiss before he headed out.

* * *

"Well, look who decided to come back to work," Tony's voice called out, as Percy exited the elevator.

"Missed you too, Tony," Percy smirked at him, as she passed his desk. She sat down in her chair and hit the power button on her computer and placed her stuff in the drawer.

"How was your trip, Percy?" Abby's voice startled Percy. She looked up at Abby, who was giving her an expectant look.

"It was great. Spent time with my family and friends. Got to go to my favorite restaurant. It was exactly what I needed," Percy said, smiling.

"That's great! So, when did you get back again? Abby asked. Percy's heart skipped a beat, as she remembered the run in with Abby at the diner. _Does she know?_

"Uh, Saturday afternoon," Percy said, ruffling through some papers.

"Oh, cool. Well, welcome back," Abby said, "Oh, hey Gibbs!" Percy looked up and saw Jethro rounding the corner at Ziva's desk.

"Hey, Abs," he said, giving Abby a smile.

"Well, somebody seems to be in a much better mood," Abby said, smiling back.

"A better mood than what?" Jethro asked, giving Abby a look.

"Well, no offense, Gibbs, but last week you were being a bear. I mean, you have your normal charms, of course, but this was different. You were even grumpy with me, and you're rarely grumpy with me." Abby rambled.

"Abby's right, boss, you were a little more… disgruntled… than normal," Tony chimed in. Jethro shot him a look.

"A little less talking, a little more working," he said, sitting down at his desk. Out of the corner of her eye, Percy could see Abby looking at her. Percy moved her gaze from Jethro to Abby, who gave her a small smile and headed back to her lab.

Percy stared out the window at the rapidly passing scenery. Shortly after Abby had sent Percy's paranoia reeling, they had received a call about a sailor's bloody apartment. The rest of the team were following in the truck. Percy glanced over at Jethro, who looked deep in thought himself.

"I think Abby knows," Percy blurted out. A look flashed across Jethro's face, but he didn't respond. Percy shook her head in annoyance and looked back out the window.

"What do you want me to tell you, Percy?" Jethro finally said. She looked back over at him.

"I don't know, that I'm wrong and she doesn't know," Percy's voice was pleading.

"I can't say that," he said, his eyes focused on the road.

"So you agree with me then?" Percy asked.

"I don't know. She does figure things out for a living, Percy," Jethro said, slightly sarcastic.

"Well, Jethro, what kind of evidence did she use?" Percy returned the sarcasm. They pulled to a sudden stop in front of an apartment building. Jethro turned off the car and gave Percy a quick look before opening the door and getting out. Percy sighed through gritted teeth before exiting as well.

Percy stood next to Tony, half listening to what Abby was sharing with Jethro. The rest of her mind was trying to figure out how Abby found out. There was the incident at the diner, but that had been months ago and it shouldn't have been enough to even make her suspicious. Percy's eyes swept the lab. She just couldn't come up with something tangible that Abby could have tested that proved anything. _I am losing my mind. Maybe she doesn't know anything and I'm just paranoid. Who would blame me for being paranoid? Hiding something for this long could make anybody a little crazy._ Percy's thoughts were interrupted by Tony.

"You coming?" he asked, giving Percy a strange look.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," she said, "Where are we going?" Tony raised his eyebrow at her.

"To pick up the suspect," he said, "You take something funny while you were in Arizona?" Percy narrowed her eyes at him.

"Shut up, Tony," she said.

* * *

Percy ran her fingertip around the edge of her glass. She stared at her reflection in the mirror behind the bar. It had been another _wonderfully_ long day at the office, made worse by her nagging paranoia.

"Man trouble?" the blonde bartender asked, a kind smile on her face. Percy smiled sadly.

"How'd you guess?" she asked.

"Bartender's intuition," she laughed, "You wanna talk about it?"

"Well, he certainly doesn't," Percy said, taking a drink.

"Ahh, one of those," the bartender gave Percy a knowing look.

"Yeah, in a bad way," Percy sighed, "I guess I just don't know what to say about it anymore."

"Do you love him?" the bartender asked. Percy nodded, staring at the small bit of liquid left in her glass. "Does he love you?" she asked, softly. Percy looked up.

"That's the million dollar question," she said, finishing off her drink. She pulled out her wallet and the bartender waved her off.

"Don't worry about it," she said, "Good luck, dear." Percy gave her a thankful smile as she slid off the bar stool.

* * *

Percy felt a sense of de ja vu, walking down the basement stairs. This time the anxiety was even worse than it had been Friday night. This time, she didn't stop at the bottom of the stairs. She strode purposefully across the basement. Jethro looked up from his sanding.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked. Percy took the sanding block out of his hand and placed it to the side.

"Jethro…" Percy began.

"You've been drinking," he interrupted.

"I had one drink, yes," Percy was annoyed. _He's already trying to put me off topic_. "Jethro, please, we need to talk." A pained look flashed across his face.

"Okay, talk," he said. Percy felt a small surge of anger.

"How do you feel about me?" she said. Jethro sighed and looked at the corner of the room for a moment.

"Percy, you know…" he began. Percy furrowed her brow, angrily.

"No, Jethro, I _don't_ know. That's why I'm asking you. And, if you are going to pull out that sorry "I warned you about this" bullshit, you can save it," the words tumbled from her mouth, "I'm really starting to think that you like being miserable and alone." Jethro's face had regained its typical stoic look. There was silence.

"Say something!" Percy exclaimed.

"Why? You seem to have it all figured out!" he said, grabbing his sanding block and turning away from Percy.

"You are fucking impossible!" Percy was shaking from anger. He didn't reply. Percy took a deep breath.

"I'm done," she said, barely above a whisper, "I can't do this right now." Percy wasn't sure the words coming out of her mouth were her own. Jethro didn't look at her, but she could see the tension in his body and face. _He's not going to say anything. _Percy could feel her anger being replaced by nausea. She turned around and walked quickly to the stairs. She paused for a moment before she ascended, but didn't look his way. The sound of furious sanding didn't stop. Percy headed up the stairs, and out of the basement.


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter flowed so much easier.. YAY!

* * *

"So, we've been working this case together for a week, when are you going to warm up a little?" Agent Cahill whispered in Percy's ear. She turned her head and shot him a look. They were standing in observation as Gibbs and Fornell interrogated the suspect.

"When are you going to stop hitting on me, Agent Cahill?" she whispered back. Undeterred, he smiled at her.

"Kyle, please," he insisted, "Okay, agent Williams, I'll leave you alone if you tell me, honestly, what you don't like about me." The truth was, there wasn't really anything Percy didn't like about Kyle. That in itself was the problem. It had been a month since things had come to a head with Jethro, and they had not seen each other outside of work at all. Percy had started to consider leaving NCIS, because after three weeks, she still flinched inside every time she met his eyes. Over the last week, NCIS and the FBI had been working together on a terrorism case, and they had finally brought the suspect in. Agent Kyle Cahill was one of Fornell's men, and he had been working to charm Percy all week.

"I'm waiting," Kyle whispered, smiling. Percy couldn't help but smile as well.

"Okay, I guess you're not that bad," she admitted.

"Am I not bad enough to consider having dinner with? We could make it a friendly dinner. Arrive in separate cars, even split the check, if it makes you feel better about it," he suggested.

"Okay. When and where?" Percy agreed.

"Tomorrow night at 8. Spanelli's," he said.

"I'll be there," she said.

* * *

"Thanks, Abby," Tony said, heading out of the lab, Percy following behind him.

"Hey, Percy! Could you stay a minute, I wanted to show you something," Abby called out. Percy stopped. She felt her heart speed up a little bit.

"I'll catch up with you, Tony," she said, sending him on his way.

"What's up?" she asked, walking back toward Abby.

"Shut the door," Abby said, motioning toward it. Percy felt her stomach tighten up, but did as Abby requested. She locked it as well, in anticipation of the conversation they were about to have. _Do I deny it? If she knows, would denying it matter? Do I tell her it's over? _Percy had avoided thinking about the word over, preferring to think of it as a break. It made her sick to her stomach.

"What's up?" Percy's mouth was dry. Abby gave her a look.

"Come on, Percy. Let's be honest here. You know I know. I didn't know at first, you know, when I saw you guys at the diner. I didn't think that was weird or anything. But, I did think it was pretty weird that when I went by Gibbs' house to check on him that Friday you were supposed to be gone, your car was out front. You know, he had been acting really weird, so I was kind of worried. Anyway, the car out front was weird, but I thought maybe he took you to the airport or something. _Then_, when you told me you were in Arizona until Saturday, I knew that something was going on. People don't lie unless they have something to hide," Abby looked at Percy expectantly. _Goddamnit._

"Nothing is going on," Percy said.

"Percy!" Abby sounded exasperated. Percy took a deep breath.

"Something _was_ going on. It's not going on anymore, okay?" Percy could feel the tears forming in her eyes, "Have you told anybody?" Abby's face softened.

"No, of course not. I wouldn't do that to Gibbs," she said, "I guess that explains a few things." There was silence.

"Are we done?" Percy asked, tersely.

"Yeah, sorry," Abby looked a little guilty. She looked as if she wanted to say more, but decided against it. Percy unlocked the lab door and opened it, half expecting someone to be standing outside. She was glad to see an empty hallway, instead.

* * *

"Well, I've got the whole series at my place. I'd be happy to loan them to you," Percy offered. Kyle smiled across the table.

"Thanks, Percy, that's very generous of you," he said.

"They're just books, it's not that generous," she smiled back. There was silence as they both took a drink from their wine glasses.

"So, I have a confession to make," Kyle started, looking down at his glass, a slight smile playing on the edge of his mouth. Percy raised an eyebrow.

"Go ahead," she said.

"Well, I asked Tony and Ziva about you. They said to their knowledge you've been here almost a year and a half and outside of dating some guy for a month, they've never seen you in a relationship," he said, "It just seems weird to me that a woman like you would stay uninvolved so long." Percy made a noise and shook her head slightly.

"A woman like me?" she asked, giving Kyle a look. A surprised look came across his face.

"Oh no, not that I mean you seem needy. You definitely do not seem needy. I just mean, you're beautiful, intelligent…everything that most men would want," he said.

"The team doesn't know everything about my life, Kyle," Percy said, softly. A wave of sadness washed over her.

"I see," Kyle said. He reached across the table and put his hand on Percy's. "Is that why you were giving me the cold shoulder?" Percy smiled slightly, as she fiddled with her butter knife.

"Yeah," she admitted. There was another pause.

"So, hey, did you see that crazy thing on the news the other night about that cat training guy? He had like, I swear, a hundred cats and they could walk on tightropes and make coffee, and I don't even know what else," Kyle's voice was animated. Percy laughed at his obvious attempt to change the topic.

"No, I missed it. If I had to guess, I'd say I was at work," Percy said with a slightly sarcastic tone.

"Well, you can probably find it on YouTube. You should totally look it up!" Kyle grinned at her. Percy smiled back, but felt like a record was repeating in the back of her head. She couldn't stop comparing Kyle to Jethro. _Get out of my head, Jethro._

"Maybe you could look it up for me on my computer while I'm getting those books for you?" Percy suggested. She was surprised by her own forwardness. Kyle looked slightly surprised for a moment too.

"I'd be happy to," he said.

"Well, let's go," Percy said.

"Yes, let's!" Kyle said, as he waived the waiter over to get the check.

Percy giggled as she and Kyle headed up the stairs to her floor.

"Are you being serious?" she asked, laughing.

"I'm always serious!" he insisted, grinning. The smile slowly disappeared as Kyle looked up. "It looks like you have company," he said. Percy felt her knees start to buckle when she looked up. Jethro was standing by her apartment door, his arms crossed across his chest. _I shouldn't have had so much wine._

"Agent Gibbs," Kyle said, as they approached.

"Agent Cahill," Jethro greeted him stonily, "Agent Williams, I wanted to talk to you about a case. It's important," he said, turning his attention to Percy. Percy felt her anger flare. _What the hell does he think he's doing?_

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" she asked. Jethro looked at his watch.

"It's one AM in the morning. It _is_ tomorrow," he said.

"Yes, and normal people don't work at one AM Saturday morning!" she exclaimed. Jethro's eyes flashed.

"Do you value your job, agent Williams?" he asked, staring at her hard. Percy felt Kyle place his hand on her arm.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take a rain check on the books. Just deal with whatever it is he wants, and give me a call tomorrow, okay?" he whispered in her ear. He kissed her on the cheek and gave her a reassuring smile. Kyle nodded at Jethro and turned around, heading back to the stairs. Percy felt irrationally angry, like she might throw something. She fumbled with her keys, finally getting the apartment door unlocked and open. Jethro followed her in, closing the door behind him. Percy faced the wall for a moment, taking a few deep breaths. She turned around to face Jethro.

"So, what case did you want to talk about, Gibbs?" she asked.

"Were you going to _sleep _with him? You barely even know him," his face was clearly angry now.

"I fail to see how that is any of your fucking business," Percy hissed, "Why are you even here? You found out about my date with Kyle and it made you angry? You don't want me, but you don't want anybody else to have me either? It doesn't work like that!" Percy's voice rose with each word. Jethro stood quietly in the middle of the room, looking at her. He took a few steps toward her and she put her arm out.

"Stop! Don't touch me," Percy said. The truth was she was dying for it. She had wanted nothing more for the past month than to have him touch her again. "It's too late for that, Jethro. You can't come back a month later, fuck me, and expect me to be happy," she said, quieter now. He looked pained.

"Percy, I'm sorry. I was wrong. I don't blame you for being angry with me," he said, his voice soft and quiet, "I haven't stopped thinking about you. I've gotten in my car to come over here half a dozen times, but I never made it." Percy didn't look at him. He stepped closer to Percy, standing directly in front of her.

"I love you," his voice was breathy and soft. Percy felt like the seconds were ticking by in slow motion. He took her hands in his own and kissed her cheek. "I love you," he said again, whispering in her ear. Percy realized she felt light headed because she wasn't breathing. She took a deep breath, her chest burning. A sob escaped her mouth, and the tears started to pour down her face. Jethro pulled her close, and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Percy cried hard for a minute, her tears soaking through his shirt. She leaned back and looked at his face. Although his face was dry, there were tears in his eyes. Percy grabbed Jethro's face and kissed him hard.

"I love you too," she whispered, her mouth close to his. Percy could feel months of frustration fall away as she stood next to him. She could feel his heart beating wildly, much like her own.

"I could stay here forever," she spoke quietly.

"Me too," he said.

Percy blinked several times, sleepily. The morning sunshine was peeking in through the blinds. She turned over to look at Jethro, and found him staring at her.

"Do you still love me?" Percy asked, snuggling back into the blanket. Jethro smiled.

"Yes, I still love you," he said, sounding slightly amused. Percy smiled back.

"Just making sure," she said, giving him a kiss, "What about rule number 12?" She gave him a teasing look. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Rule number 12? I don't think I remember that one," he said, pulling her closer to him. She snuggled up to him, his body was deliciously warm and relaxed.

"Jethro, what about Abby…and the rest of them?" Percy asked.

"We'll deal with it later," he said, running his fingers through her hair.

"Sounds good to me," she said, smiling to herself.


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't wait to for you to see it; it's going to be great. The cake lady is a genius!" Elena said excitedly, on her end of the phone. Percy smiled to herself.

"I can't wait to see either, Lena. I am going to try and get out there again soon to help with whatever I can help with," Percy said, slightly apologetically.

"No worries, Pers, I know you will," Elena reassured her, "Okay, we have talked about the wedding for like half an hour. How are things with you? How is Jethro? Is he behaving himself?" Percy laughed.

"Yeah, he's been great. Except for the whole still being a secret thing," Percy said.

"I thought you said someone figured it out?" Elena asked.

"Oh yeah, well he said he took care of that, but he didn't tell me what he said. Abby hasn't brought it up to me again, and she's been pretty normal around me…Well, as normal as she can be, I guess," Percy explained.

"Well, that's good. Are you okay? You sound really tired lately," Elena sounded concerned. Percy paused for a minute.

"I'm fine. I have been a little off lately, I have no idea what it could be. I'm tired all the time, my head hurts, my back hurts and I've thrown up like four times in the last few weeks, which is really odd. You know how much I hate to throw up," Percy made a face thinking about it. There was silence on the other end of the phone.

"Lena? You there?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, I'm here. Uh, so, Pers, I have a question for you," Elena sounded hesitant.

"What is it?" Percy was confused by her tone.

"Are you still on birth control?" Elena asked.

"What? Yes, of course I am!" Percy exclaimed.

"Well, what you described sounds exactly like what my sister told me before she found out she was pregnant," Elena said. Percy's eyes widened at the thought.

"No way, Elena! Like I said, I'm still on the pill, and I've _been _on it," Percy insisted.

"Did you get your last period?" Elena asked.

"Yes, I did," Percy fired off. She thought about it for a moment, and began to feel knots form in her stomach. "It was really weird though, super short…But, the possibility for someone to get pregnant while on the pill is really small, right?"

"It's still a possibility, Pers," Elena said, "I am sure you're right, you're probably not pregnant. But, I think you should just take a test to make sure. Better safe than sorry, right?" Percy exhaled and ran her hand through her hair nervously.

"Yeah, you're right I suppose. Okay, I am going to go down to the drugstore right now and get one," she said, the stress obvious in her voice.

"Okay, good. Call me back, right away! Love you, Pers," Elena said.

"I will. Love you too, bye," Percy hit the end button.

Percy leaned against the bathroom counter. She felt like the room was spinning. She stared at the two tests in her hands. They both read positive. _This can't be right._ Percy placed the tests on the bathroom counter and picked her phone up, redialing Elena's number.

"Hey! Percy, I was getting a little concerned. What did it say?" Elena said in a rush. Percy opened her mouth to speak, but just exhaled.

"Oh my god," Elena's voice was barely above a whisper, "Percy! Are you pregnant?" Percy nodded at first, but then realized Elena couldn't hear her nod.

"It appears so," she managed to choke out.

"Wow! Well, congratulations? Where's Jethro? How are you going to tell him?" Elena asked.

"Oh my god, Lena, I don't know. I want to be sure before I tell him anything," Percy slunk down to the floor.

"Well, I guess I understand that. Do you think you can get into the doctor on Monday?" Elena asked. Percy heard a door open.

"Lena, Jethro's home, I need to go. I'll call you later," she ended the call abruptly, and stood up. She grabbed everything and threw it into the plastic shopping bag, tying the handles into a knot, and shoving it into the trash. She took a few deep breaths, and looked at herself in the mirror, trying to force her face into a normal look.

Percy exited the bathroom and rounded the corner.

"There you are," Jethro said, coming over and giving her a quick kiss. He studied her face for a moment. "Are you okay?" he asked. Can't you miss something just once?

"Yeah, I'm okay. I am just feeling a bit under the weather," Percy lied, hoping he'd believe her. Jethro frowned.

"You should go to the doctor. You've been _under the weather_ for a while now," he said.

"I'm going to go on Monday," Percy said.

"Good. Why don't you go lay down; I'll fix dinner," he said, emptying the bags on the counter. Despite her stress, Percy couldn't help but smile. Since their reconciliation six weeks ago, things had been wonderful. Percy practically lived at his house, although most of her stuff was still in her own apartment. She had already started thinking of his house more as home than her own. Percy started to think about the few times she had seen Jethro interact with children on cases. Her heart pounded a little harder and she placed her hand on her belly. Jethro turned back around to look at her.

"Percy?" he sounded concerned. Percy returned to reality.

"I think I am going to do that. Lay down," she said, coming over to give him another kiss. Percy could see concern in his eyes. She gave him a reassuring smile and headed to the bedroom.

Percy jumped as the examination room door opened and the doctor came back in. She felt frozen, waiting for him to speak. He looked at her expectant face.

"The at home tests were right. You're pregnant," he said. Percy felt the tears fill her eyes. The doctor looked sympathetic.

"If you need to talk to someone, we have counselors available," he offered. Percy shook her head.

"No, no, it's not like that. It's just a big surprise," she said, wiping her eyes. He nodded and offered her a smile.

"Do you need a minute before we do the exam? If you need some privacy, just let me know," the doctor offered.

"No, I'm fine. Let's do it," Percy said, taking a deep breath.

Percy sat in the middle of the couch, her fingers interlaced. She didn't go into work after the doctor's appointment. She just couldn't keep it together. Her thoughts ran together, as she rehearsed how she was going to tell him. He had called about twenty minutes prior, and Percy expected him to be back at any minute. The door opened and Jethro appeared. He spotted Percy and headed toward her.

"What did the doctor say?" he asked. Percy looked up at him, the uncertainty was written on her face.

"What's wrong?" he sounded almost scared. Percy swallowed and licked her dry lips.

"Sit down, Jethro," she said, softly. He sat down next to her, looking at her expectantly. Percy took a long, slow breath. _Say it. Say it. Just say it._

"I'm pregnant," the words seemed to echo through the room. Jethro continued to stare at her, an indiscernible look on his face. "I, uh, that's where I went this morning. To get it confirmed. It's about six weeks." Percy felt like her throat was closing up. She really wished he would say something. Jethro let out a loud breath, as if he had been holding it. He put his head in his hands.

"I've been taking my pill, but it's not a hundred percent. I guess I'm just one of the one percent," Percy's voice wavered, as she fought back panicked tears. There was still no response. Percy bit her lip to keep it from shaking. _He doesn't want a baby. He's trying to figure out how to tell me._ Percy felt like she might throw up.

"I don't, I don't expect anything, Jethro," Percy sniffled, "I can move back to my parents house, I…" Jethro looked up, suddenly, and took Percy's face in his hands.

"How could you think I would want that?" his voice was quiet but serious. Percy took a shaky breath. She could see that his eyes were full of tears, too. He kissed her softly and then wrapped his arms around her. Percy could feel herself coming back to Earth again. They sat quietly on the couch, both lost in their own thoughts. Percy felt like she couldn't pick one thought out from the next. _We can't hide this one. Everybody will know now. What are my parents going to think? My Mother is going to ask why we're not getting married. Is it a boy or a girl? Should we find out? Am I going to be a good mother? _

"We're having a baby," Jethro's voice interrupted Percy's thoughts. She sat up and looked at him.

"Yeah, it appears we are," she said, softly.

"I never thought…" he took a deep breath. His eyes were sad. Percy reached out and brushed the side of his face with her hand. He looked at her. "Percy, do _you_ want this baby?" he asked.

"Yes. I want _our_ baby," Percy said. A smile came over Jethro's face.  
"So do I," he said, leaning over to give her a kiss.

They lay in bed together, naked, their breath slowly evening out. Percy had her back pressed against him, his arms around her, one hand on her stomach. Over the evening, Percy had gone from anxiety to a state of bliss she had never experienced before. Jethro seemed truly happy too, even talking about moving out the boat to make room to build things for the baby.

"I guess we've got to tell people," Jethro said, his voice was quiet.

"Yeah, we do," Percy smiled.

"You should tell your parents in person," he said. _By myself?_

"I guess you're right," Percy said.

"I'll go with you…if you want," Percy could tell that Jethro wasn't entirely thrilled with the idea.

"I would like that," Percy said, smiling to herself.

"Your father isn't going to chase me with a shotgun, is he?" his voice was teasing, but Percy could sense nervousness.

"I can't make any promises," Percy teased, "I am sure it'll be fine. They'll just be glad to know that I am not actually holed up in my apartment every night eating ice cream and watching chick flicks." Jethro laughed and kissed her on the neck.

"Jethro, I'm more concerned about telling the team," Percy's tone was more serious now. She heard him sigh.

"We'll tell them. But, we don't have to do it now, right?" he asked.

"I guess not, but it won't be that long before I can't hide it anymore," Percy said.

"Well, we'll tell them before that happens," Jethro said, his voice carrying the I-don't-want-to-discuss-this-anymore tone. Percy felt his breath on her neck, and felt his arms tighten around her. They were quiet for a moment.

"I love you, Percy," he whispered in her ear. Percy smiled. Her heart still fluttered every time he said it.

"I love you too," she said.


	9. Chapter 9

Percy tried to keep her eyes off the blood. It never bothered her before, but she was still suffering from a rather delicate constitution and it made her nauseous. She felt Jethro looking at her.

"Percy, do a sweep of the bedroom and see if our Captain left us any clues," he said. Percy nodded.

"Yes, boss," she said, smiling to herself as she headed down the hall. She walked into the master bedroom and took a quick look around. There was a desk in the back corner. She walked up to it and pulled open the top drawer. She grabbed the stack of papers on top and started going through them. _Cable bill, post card signed 'from Mom & Dad', old shopping list…_ All of the sudden, Percy felt a sweaty hand clamp her mouth shut, and a steel barrel pressed into the side of her head. Time seemed to stop.

"Say anything, and you're dead," a voice whispered into her ear. The hand left her mouth and traveled quickly down the side of her body, finding her gun and removing it from the holster. Percy took deep, slow breaths. _Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm_, she repeated to herself. The man held tightly onto Percy's upper arm and turned her around, keeping her body close to his own. They moved down the hallway slowly. Percy could feel the man's breathing on her neck, causing the small hairs there to stand on end. Finally, they reached the living room. It took only a split second for the entire team to have their guns aimed on Percy and her captor. Percy locked eyes with Jethro.

"Put down your weapons," the man said. He pushed against Percy's head with the gun. Percy felt numbness in her toes and fingers, creeping up her arms and legs.

"Let her go," Jethro's voice was calm and steady. The man laughed cruelly.

"Why should I? What good is that going to do me?" he asked, his voice was snide, "What's so important about this one?" He pushed her head again with the gun. Percy closed her eyes and tried to breathe. She felt her legs shake. She began to feel like she was spinning. Then, everything went black.

"Where are you? Baby, where are you?" Percy cried. She ran through the park, looking back and forth, nearly running into an old man. He was wearing a long gray coat, and a hat.

"Have you seen my baby?" Percy asked the man tearfully. The man looked at her strangely.

"Baby? You don't have a baby!" the man said, chuckling.

"Yes I do. I do have a baby! I just can't find her," Percy exclaimed. She began to move past the man but he grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.

"You listen to me, you silly girl! There is no baby!" the man said, sounding angry. Percy struggled to get away, but the old man was surprisingly strong. He moved a hand to Percy's face. "Percy, can you hear me? Percy!" he said.

Percy's eyes flew open with a start. The old man was gone. Instead it was Jethro who was leaning over her, his hand on her face. Percy could see pain in his eyes. Real tears began to flood down her face.

"What happened?" she asked.

"You fainted," Ziva's voice came from behind Jethro, "And Gibbs shot him."

"You mean he emptied an entire magazine into him?" Tony's voice came from somewhere to the side. Percy realized that she was covered in blood splatters. Jethro ignored Tony's remark.

"The ambulance is on its way. I want you to go get checked out," Jethro said, looking at Percy. She sat up slowly.

"I'm fine. I don't need to go to the hospital," Percy said.

"You're going to the hospital," he said.

"No, I'm not," Percy said, feeling a combined rush of exhaustion and anger. She wanted to go home, take a shower, and get into bed. Most of all, she wanted him to come with her. She wanted him to take care of her. _But, it's still a big fucking secret._ Percy pushed to her feet, Jethro rising with her. She glanced at the body that lay in the hall. The man's chest was torn open with bullet holes. Percy looked away, taking a deep breath to fight the nausea. She turned toward the front door; Jethro was hot on her heels.

"Where are you going?" He asked, grabbing her arm.

"Home, to wash someone else's blood off of me!" Percy said angrily, shaking off his grip. Jethro sighed, and looked back into the house.

"DiNozzo!" he called. Tony looked up.

"Yeah, boss?" he asked.

"Take over here. I'll call for an update," Jethro said, "Come on," he said, motioning at Percy. She followed him down the sidewalk to the car. He opened the passenger side door and Percy got in. A moment later, he got in on the driver's side and started up the car. They drove in silence for a few moments.

"I think you should go to the hospital, just to be safe," Jethro said, softly. Percy looked at him.

"Outside of the fact I had a gun to my head, I feel fine, Jethro," she said. Percy could see him take a deep breath of his own. The stress was clearly written on his face.

"I don't want you going out in the field anymore," he said.

"Well, that won't be suspicious, will it?" Percy asked, sarcastically.

"Percy, what should I have done? Tell them then? I think the eight bullets in the dead guy's chest may have been a little suspicious as well," Jethro exclaimed. He hit the steering wheel with the side of his fist, before pulling into a gas station parking lot with a screech. Percy's eyes were wide. Jethro leaned over and pulled her close to him. He leaned his face on hers. Percy could feel wetness on her cheek.

"I was so," his voice was strained, "scared." Percy took his face in her hands. She wiped his cheek softly with her thumb.

"I'm okay," she whispered, "_We_ are okay."

A shower had never felt as good as it did right then. The water was so hot, it almost burned. Percy watched trails of blood mix with the water and run down the drain. Jethro stood behind her. He ran his hands over her shoulders, and slowly down her arms. Percy leaned against his body and closed her eyes. His touch was soft but purposeful, as he traveled over her body, washing the day the away. He washed each arm; each finger, rubbing the palms of her hands. He brought his hands to her hips and moved them up the side of her body, over her waist and rib cage. He cupped her breasts in his hands; making them slippery with soap. His hands traveled down to her slightly swollen belly. He caressed it softly and kissed her neck. Percy turned around and put her arms around his neck, laying her head on his chest. Jethro wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. _We're okay._

* * *

Percy stared at the table as everybody filed into the conference room. Her heart was in her throat. For as long as she had wanted the secret to end, she wasn't quite so sure now.

"Where's McGee?" Jethro sounded annoyed.

"Here I am, Boss!" Tim called, quickly entering the room and closing the door behind him. Jethro motioned for Tim to sit down with everyone else, but he remained standing. Percy wished he would sit down too.

"What's up, Boss?" Tony asked. Percy could hear Jethro take a deep breath. _Here it comes; the end of a very long secret._

"Percy is no longer going to be going on any field assignments," he began. Percy felt she could almost hear nervousness in his voice. "She's pregnant, and it's too dangerous," he continued. Percy looked up from the table at the faces across from her. Everybody was looking at her with a look of surprise, except Abby, who was looking at Jethro with utter shock on her face.

"Well, congratulations, Percy!" Ducky finally broke the silence. There were follow up congratulations from the rest of the team, excluding Abby, who was still looking at Jethro. Tony was the first to notice Abby's strange behavior.

"Uh, Abs, you okay there?" he asked with an amused tone. Abby shifted her gaze to Percy.

"Who's the father?" she asked, staring hard.

"Now, Abby, that's none of…" Ducky began to speak.

"I am," Jethro said. A deathly silence encompassed the room. The shocked look Abby wore moments ago was now shared by everybody else. Tony's mouth opened and closed several times, as he looked back and forth between Percy and Jethro.

"There will be no questions, and no discussions about this subject," Jethro spoke again, "Is that understood?" Everybody nodded. Ducky stood up from his chair.

"Well, congratulations to the both of you," he said, walking around the table. He stuck his hand out for Jethro, who shook it with a slight smile. Ducky placed a warm hand on Percy's shoulder, and she gave him a small appreciative smile.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an autopsy to finish," Ducky said. Jethro waved him out.

"We're done here," Jethro said, turning back to the rest of the team. Percy stood up with the rest of them. They filed out slowly, giving Percy and Jethro awkward looks as they passed by. Jethro reached for the door handle as Abby exited, and shut the door. He turned around to face Percy.

"Was it everything you hoped it would be?" he asked, a slight smile on his face.

"It was possibly the most awkward moment of my life," she said.

"You knew it wouldn't be easy," he said, stepping closer to her.

"I know," Percy said, "I'm just glad it's over now." He kissed her forehead.

"Me too," he said.

Percy could see Tony, Ziva, Tim and Abby huddled together in the middle of the aisle. They were talking in hushed voices, but stopped as soon as they saw Percy approaching. Tony, Ziva and Tim all headed to their desks, but Abby stood with her arms crossed, giving Percy the evil eye.

"You lied to me," she said, as Percy approached. Percy sighed.

"I didn't lie, Abby. What I told you then was the truth. The situation just changed," she said, moving past Abby to sit at her desk. Abby gave Percy another annoyed look, before turning around and walking off. Tony appeared in front of Percy's desk.

"So…how long have you and the boss, been, uh, you know…" he trailed off, his eyebrow raised. Percy gave him a dirty look as a response. Percy could see Jethro walking up behind Tony. He leaned over Tony's shoulder.

"When I said, no questions, I meant _no questions_, DiNozzo," he said. Tony jumped slightly, and gave Jethro a sheepish look.

"Yes, Boss!" he said, returning quickly to his desk. Jethro shook his head as he sat down at his own desk. Percy tried to focus on her computer screen, but felt as if everybody was staring at her. She could hear Tony and Ziva typing in random intervals. She could just imagine what their emails said. She felt the heat of embarrassment in her face._ What did you think would happen? Just ignore it. They'll get over it…eventually. _Percy sighed to herself. _Eventually._


	10. Chapter 10

Percy idly drew circles on a notepad as she waited in Abby's lab. Abby had been keeping herself conveniently busy, and oddly quiet. But, Percy was almost used to it now. Since the big announcement two weeks ago, Abby had been giving Percy the ice queen act. What frustrated Percy the most is that she hadn't given Jethro the cold shoulder at all. If anything, she had been even more affectionate toward him than she normally was. Percy sighed.

"Don't you have work to do?" Abby asked, her back still toward Percy.

"I'm doing it," Percy said, dryly. They were silent again. Finally, Percy couldn't help herself.

"Do you love him?" she asked bluntly. Abby whipped around with an insulted look on her face.

"Love who? Gibbs?! No way. If you're asking me if I'm jealous, which is what I assume you're asking me, I'm not. I am not jealous of you and Gibbs, so don't ask me that," she replied with annoyance.

"Sorry," Percy stared at the notebook, "I was just wondering." Abby sighed loudly and Percy looked back up.

"Okay, I lied. I love Gibbs…but, not like that. Not in the whole make a baby with him way," Abby made a face, "More like the big brother, father, really cool uncle kind of way."

"I understand that. I know he really cares about you too, Abby," Percy offered kindly. Abby's arms were crossed and her lips were pursed, as she regarded Percy.

"Maybe I am jealous," Abby looked sheepish, "I'm just so used to things being a certain way, and now they aren't that way anymore. Plus, I just don't want Gibbs hurt." The last part stung Percy a little bit. Did Abby really think she could do something to hurt Jethro?

"Has he changed the way he treats you Abby?" she asked, ignoring the second part for now. Abby thought about it for a moment.

"Well, I guess not really. I mean, he has acted a little weird sometimes, but now I guess he seems pretty normal. Normal for him, anyway. Actually, he seems really…happy," Abby's face began to look apologetic, "I guess I've been acting kind of bratty lately. I'm sorry, Percy." Percy gave her a smile.

"It's okay, Abby," she said. Abby rushed over and through her arms, typical Abby style, around Percy. Percy returned the hug, smiling to herself, feeling a wave of relief wash over her.

"So, are you guys going to find out if it's a boy or a girl? You know, Abby could be a really great girl's name," Abby said, as she released Percy from her hug, "Oops, I'm not supposed to ask any questions am I?" Percy laughed.

"It's okay, I won't tell him you asked," she smiled at Abby, "I don't know yet. We haven't really talked about it."

"What about, you know…getting married?" Abby looked at Percy with a raised eyebrow. Percy just gave her a knowing look.

* * *

"Well, he loves you, right?" Percy's Mother asked, her exasperation clear over the phone. Percy sighed.

"Yes, Mom, he loves me," she said.

"And, he plans on helping you raise this child?" Percy knew where her Mother was headed, because it was the same place she headed every time they talked.

"Yes, Mom," Percy said.

"Then, I don't understand why you can't get married!" her Mother exclaimed.

"Mom, I told you why! It's not 1950, you know. We don't have to get married," Percy tried to keep her frustration in check.

"So who's name is the baby going to have, Persephone? Yours? His? Please tell me you're not going to hyphenate it. I hate that," her Mother began to get that familiar rambling tone.

"Mom, first of all, don't call me that…" Percy began.

"Why not? It's your name," her Mother interrupted. Percy cringed slightly. Her father was a professor of Mythology, and her name was the byproduct of that fact. She had spent most of her life trying to keep her real name hidden from her friends. _We are definitely not giving our child a name that could ever be an embarrassment._

"I don't know what we're naming the baby yet, Mom, we haven't talked about it. Please, you're really stressing me out. You know that's not good for the baby," Percy felt slightly guilty for going the guilt trip route, but she knew it would stop the pestering. At least for this phone call. Percy heard her mother sigh dramatically.

"Okay, Percy, I'll leave you alone for now. I need to get dinner started, anyway. I love you," her Mother resigned her argument.

"I love you too, Mom, I'll talk to you later," Percy said. Percy hung up the phone and turned around. She jumped when she saw Jethro standing in the door way.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked, giving him a look. He smiled at her.

"Not that long," he said, giving her a kiss. Percy could smell Chinese takeout wafting into the room.

"How did you know I was in the mood for Chinese food?" she asked, with a smile.

"Lucky guess, I suppose," Jethro shook his head slightly. Percy had wanted Chinese food five days out of the last week. Some days she had even eaten the leftovers from the night before for breakfast.

"You're so good to me," Percy said, wrapping her arms around Jethro as they walked into the kitchen. He just smiled.

* * *

Percy reached out and placed her takeout carton on the coffee table, and settled back on the couch. She stretched her legs out across Jethro's lap.

"So, what did your Mom have to say today?" he asked, absent mindedly stroking Percy's feet.

"You don't know want to know," Percy said with a sigh. He raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, then, I don't want to know," he said with a smile.

"She did get me thinking though," Percy continued, "About names. I know it's early and all, but I want to make sure we pick something good."

"Well, I was thinking we should go with Athena, or Aphrodite. Maybe Zeus, if it's a boy," Jethro's voice was teasing. Percy threw a pillow at him.

"That is not funny, Jethro," she said, laughing in spite of herself.

"Why don't we just wait until they're old enough to choose their own name?" he suggested. Percy stuck her tongue out.

"You're in a mood!" she said, tossing another pillow at him. He caught it in the air and stuck it behind his back.

"And you're out of pillows," he said, settling into the couch and closing his eyes. Percy pressed on his thigh with her foot. He opened his eyes and looked over at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Jethro," Percy's tone began to get more serious.

"Percy," he replied evenly.

"I'm serious, here. I don't want our child growing up ashamed of their name like I did," Percy's tone was sulky.

"I like your name," Jethro said. Percy furrowed her brow. "Percy, why don't we wait and see what we're having first?" he asked.

"So, you want to find out?" she asked, her face relaxing.

"Do you?" he asked in response.

"Yeah, I guess I do," Percy answered.

"Okay, well, as soon as we know, we can talk about names," he said, leaning back and closing his eyes again. There was a pause. Percy shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable.

"Jethro?" Percy spoke up. Without opening his eyes, he grabbed one of the pillows and tossed it back at Percy. She smiled as she caught it. _How does he do that?_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
_

Percy could hear voices coming from the break room. Or, really, she could hear Tony's voice. She slowed down as she approached the door.

"Oh yeah, she was totally Gibbs' type. Well, she would have been, before the whole…you know," his voice trailed off. Percy stopped just outside the entrance to listen.

"Before he broke his own rule?" Ziva's voice chimed in.

"Yes, before that. I still can't believe Gibbs is going to be a father," Tony's voice matched his statement.

"Why not? He was a father before," Tim added.

"Yeah, but, you think he was planning this?" Tony asked.

"I highly doubt it," Ziva said, "You would think that if Gibbs is going to be having sex, he would use some protection."

"I can't say I give much thought to things like that," Tony said, sounding a little grossed out.

"Perhaps Percy was the one who was planning this?" Ziva suggested. Percy made a horrified face to herself. She was starting to regret listening in on the conversation.

"She doesn't seem the conniving type to me," Tim said.

"The good ones never do," Ziva said, pointedly. Percy felt her stomach knot up.

"I like Percy and all, I really do, but, Ziva has a point," Tony said, with his mouth full, "Why would Gibbs want to have a kid with someone half his age?"

"But, how does it benefit her? It's not like there is financial gain there," Tim challenged the theory.

"Also a good point; unless Gibbs has a secret stash of money somewhere," Tony sounded thoughtful. His statement was followed by laughter all around.

"I do not know why she would do it. It is just so…weird," Ziva said.

"Why are you standing here?" Percy jumped when Abby whispered in her ear. Abby's face was expectant. Percy put her finger to her lips and waved Abby further down the hall, away from the break room. She sighed.

"Abby, do you think I'm conniving?" Percy asked with a wounded tone. Abby looked surprised.

"No, of course not! Why would you think that?" Abby sounded genuine.

"It's just, uh, I was listening to the rest of the team talk…about us, about the pregnancy," Percy tried to resist the urge to cry, "And, they think that this is something I did on purpose. Like I'm trying to sabotage Jethro's life or something." Abby made a disapproving face.

"Percy, I am sure they don't really think that. You know how they like to talk. These things just happen, I know that," she said, putting a comforting hand on Percy's arm. Percy paused for a moment.

"Just so you know; I was on the pill. It's just a freakishly abnormal occurrence, and we're the _lucky_ one percent," Percy said with a slightly sarcastic tone.

"I believe you, you don't have to explain it," Abby said kindly, "Seriously, Percy, don't worry about them. It's none of their business. As long as you and Gibbs are happy, that's all that really matters!" She gave Percy a big smile. Percy smiled back.

"Thanks, Abby," she said appreciatively. Percy was thankful for the support, but could still feel the sting of Ziva's words. She tried to convince herself that Abby was right. _It doesn't matter what they think. _It was going to take some time to believe that.


	11. Chapter 11

It's funny, this isn't exactly what I had in mind from the get go, but it seems the story kind of writes itself now! :) thanks all for reading.

* * *

She was tall and thin with perfect long red hair falling down her back in waves. Her eyes glinted cruelly at Percy.

"Jethro, please…" Percy cried, reaching out for him. He looked at Percy with a look of pity.

"Did you ever think you'd be good enough?" the woman laughed. Percy felt so _hot_, like she was being suffocated. She kicked the blanket off her legs. _The blanket?_ Percy opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. The air on her now exposed body was cooling her rapidly. She looked at Jethro's side of the bed, unsurprised to find it empty. _These fucking nightmares are going to make me a crazy person._ Percy lay in the bed, her hands on her stomach. _Sixteen weeks down, twenty-four to go._ She lay in the bed until her heart stopped pounding and she was covered in goosebumps. She threw her legs off the side of the bed and stood up. She could smell the coffee in the kitchen. She found Jethro sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper. He looked up as she approached.

"Good morning," he said, giving her a slight smile.

"Good morning," she said, walking over to him. She leaned over the back of the chair and hugged him. He kissed her on the cheek. Percy headed into the kitchen and poured herself a large bowl of Cheerios. She situated herself opposite of Jethro, and watched him as she ate. After a few moments of silence, he looked up, giving her a quizzical look.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. Percy wanted to tell him about the dream. She wanted to tell him about all of the dreams, but something held her back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered between bites. He went back to the paper. Percy chased the Cheerios around in her bowl.

"Do you think we could work more on the baby's room this weekend?" she asked. The room currently sat empty with two walls painted.

"Yeah, if I have time, of course," Jethro said, not looking up. Percy wrinkled her brow in frustration. Outside of working very slowly on a crib in the basement, Percy felt like Jethro was putting off anything to do with the baby. He didn't want to shop for baby items, he still wouldn't talk about names, and the room had a long way to go. Percy had the sudden irrational urge to throw her cereal bowl across the room. _Relax, stop being so emotional. It's just the hormones talking._ Percy stood up, taking her bowl into the kitchen and putting it in the sink. She walked back to the table.

"You know we're almost half way there, right?" Percy asked. Jethro put the paper down on the table and looked at her.

"Yes, I know," he said, standing up, "Listen; I'm going to go in early. I'll see you in a little while." He finished his coffee and gave Percy a quick kiss. Percy felt her heart pounding with anger and frustration. She felt a bit like she did when she was five years old and denied a Barbie. She felt out of control. Jethro was heading toward the door.

"Do you really want this, Jethro?" she called out, "Have you changed your mind?" Jethro stopped in his tracks. He turned around to look at her.

"Percy…" he began.

"Are we always going to be second best?" Percy cut him off. A pained look flashed across his face. Percy felt a small twinge of guilt. He looked at her for a moment, before turning back around and walking out the door. Percy stood staring at the door for a moment. She felt like her emotions were a storming inside her head. She just wanted some comfort. Someone to tell her it was all okay. Percy turned around and walked quickly to the bedroom. She threw open the closet door and pulled down an overnight bag. She needed to go home.

* * *

Percy pulled up in front of her parents' house and turned off the engine to the rental car. She grabbed her bag and walked up to the door, hitting the doorbell.

"Percy! What are you doing here?" her mother exclaimed, opening the door. Percy dropped her bag in the door and threw her arms around her mother's neck. Her mother hugged her tightly.

"Is everything okay, baby?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just really missed you," Percy said with tears in her eyes. Percy could see her mother didn't believe she was really okay, but she didn't push the subject. Instead, she grabbed Percy's bag and ushered her inside.

"Are you hungry?" her mother asked, already heading into the kitchen.

"Starving! Hey, I'm going to use the phone really quick," Percy called into the kitchen. She picked the phone up and quickly dialed Elena's number.

"Hello?" Elena answered.

"Lena, it's me," Percy said.

"Pers, hey! Are you at home?" Elena sounded surprised.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Percy asked.

"Well, you're calling me from your parent's number, and not your cell phone," Elena explained. Percy had purposely left her phone turned off since she decided to make a last minute trip to Arizona.

"Oh right," Percy said, "Yeah, I'm at home. Are you at work?"

"Yeah, but I don't have to be if you need me," Elena sounded concerned.

"I'm totally fine. I can see you after work," Percy tried to sound upbeat.

"You're a rotten liar. Besides, I don't think people randomly fly across the country if everything is fine. I'll be there in an hour," Elena said. Percy smiled slightly.

"Okay, I'll see you then," she said. They said their goodbyes and Percy hung up the phone. She headed into the kitchen and sat at the breakfast table. Her mother was pulling plastic containers out of the refrigerator.

"What do you want to eat? We have some left over lasagna, some pizza; I can make you a grilled cheese sandwich. Whatever you want," Percy's mom offered. Percy felt the tears fill her eyes and start to escape down her face.

"Percy, what's wrong?" her mother said, seeing her tears. She walked over to Percy and wiped her face with her hands. "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?" Percy nodded and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, Mom, I'm okay and the baby is okay. I don't really want to talk about it right now," she sniffled. Percy's mother frowned as she petted her daughter's head.

"Grilled cheese sandwich it is, then?" she said, walking back to the kitchen counter. Percy couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks, Mom," she said.

* * *

"Thanks for the sandwich, Mrs. Williams," Elena said, placing her plate in the sink and sitting back down at the table.

"Of course, my dear," Percy's mother smiled. After Elena had arrived, Percy's mother had insisted on making her a sandwich as well. They had mostly chatted about Elena's wedding, which was coming up in less than a month.

"So, is there anything I can do to help you with the wedding while I'm here, Lena?" Percy asked.

"You can tell me why you're here in the first place," Elena said, giving Percy a look. Percy took a deep breath and exhaled through her mouth.

"I've been having these nightmares," she began, staring at her fingers, "They're all pretty similar. Jethro always leaves me for someone else. Someone better than me. The woman in the dream always resembles his first wife in some way." Percy paused. Her mother and Elena both reached out for her hands. "It's not like I want him to stop loving her," Percy's voice cracked slightly, "I don't want that at all. I just feel like I might never be enough. I'm always going to be second best." She bit her lip, trying not to cry.

"Percy, I'm sure that's not true," Elena said in a comforting tone.

"Have you told him about your dreams and how you feel?" Percy's mother asked. Percy shook her head.

"Not about the dreams," she said, "But, I did say something this morning about being second best." Percy felt guilty again as she remembered what happened.

"What did he say?" Elena asked.

"Nothing," Percy sighed, "He just left for the office." There was a pause.

"Um, Percy, does he know you're here?" Elena asked. Percy gave her a sheepish look.

"No, I didn't tell anybody I was coming," she admitted.

"Persephone Margaret!" her mother exclaimed, causing Percy to cringe at the use of her full name, "He's probably worried sick about you. You need to call him right now!"

"No need," Percy jumped at the sound of Jethro's voice. He stood in the kitchen doorway, staring at Percy.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I think I'm the one that should be asking that question," he said evenly. Percy's mother and Elena both rose from the table and left the room. Percy sighed.

"Let me guess. You saw my toll tag was used at the airport, and then had them search for my name and saw where I was going?" Percy asked, slightly sarcastically.

"Pretty much," Jethro replied, taking a few steps closer to the table, "Why did you leave, Percy?" His voice sounded wounded.

"Don't you know?" Percy asked, avoiding his eyes.

"Well, I remember what you said this morning, but that didn't tell me you were going to jump on a plane and fly across the country," he said. Percy didn't reply. Jethro pulled a chair out and sat in directly in front of Percy. He sat down, his legs touching her own.

"You scared the hell out of me, Percy," he said softly, picking up her hands, "Please, look at me." Percy looked up. His eyes were sad.

"I've been having these awful dreams," Percy began, "I dream that I'm not good enough and you leave me."

"Percy, you are good enough for me. Actually, I think you're too good for me," he smiled slightly, "I'm never going to stop loving Shannon and Kelly, but that doesn't mean I don't love you and our child. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Percy threw her arms around Jethro's neck, tears escaping from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said, hiccupping.

"It's okay," he whispered. After a minute, Percy loosened her grip and sunk back into her chair.

"I brought something for you," Jethro said. Percy's eyes widened when she realized what he was holding between his fingers. She simply stared at it for several seconds.

"Are you sure?" Percy managed to force the words out.

"Are you?" he asked.

"Yes…yes, yes, yes," Percy said, a smile spreading across her face. Jethro smiled as well. He took Percy's hand and slid the ring on her finger. Percy leaned over again and grabbed Jethro's face, kissing him passionately.

"Oh my god," she whispered excitedly, staring at her hand.

"I love you," Jethro said. Percy looked up at his now calm face.

"I love you too," she said, smiling. He nodded toward the door.

"I think your mother would love to know about this," he said, sounding amused. Percy stood up and kissed him again.

"Mom! Elena!" she called out excitedly. _We're getting married!_


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for the slow update and the shorter chapter. I've been really busy with work, so no real time to write…I will try and make it up with the next chapter, but that probably won't happen until next week!

* * *

Percy could hear voices as soon as the elevator doors opened. The rest of the team was gathered in Abby's lab, and Percy could make an educated guess about what they were discussing. She quietly approached the door and stood just outside.

"I do not understand why she would run away! What could be so bad that she would fly across the country without a word?" Ziva asked the group.

"I wonder if any of Gibbs' wives have done this before?" Tony's voice chimed in.

"She is not his wife!" Ziva said.

"You guys shouldn't be talking about this. It's really none of your business," Abby cut in, chiding the group.

"Come on, Abs, like you're not curious," Tony sounded amused.

"No, I'm not curious. I don't like to butt into other people's lives!" Abby insisted. The rest of the team laughed, and Percy could imagine Abby's face. Percy took a deep breath and stepped into the room. Everybody except Ziva looked slightly guilty.

"Hey, Percy!" Abby greeted her with a big hug. After being released from Abby's grip, Percy turned to face the rest of the group. Before she could open her mouth, Abby squealed.

"Oh my God! Percy!" Abby said, grabbing Percy's now sparkling hand. This time Ziva's face didn't lie, she looked as shocked as Tony and Tim did. There was silence for a moment, as the group alternated between looking at the ring and at Percy's face.

"Well, congratulations! I'm so happy for you guys!" Abby exclaimed, giving Percy another big hug.

"Yeah, congratulations," Tim said next, also offering Percy an awkward hug.

"So, does this mean we should call you Mrs. Boss?" Tony asked jokingly, regaining his composure. Percy shot him a look.

"Certainly not," Percy answered.

"So, when's the wedding? Are we invited? Of course, we're invited, right?" Abby asked excitedly.

"I don't know what we're doing yet, Abby, but of course, you'll be invited," Percy said, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"Wow, I just can't picture the Boss in a tuxedo, standing at the front of a church," Tony said, trying to do just that.

"Me either," Percy said, sarcastically.

"Do we _do_ any work around here anymore?" Jethro sounded annoyed, as he strode into the room. Percy felt a sense of relief. _No more questions. At least for now. _The team scattered with a chorus of 'Yes, Boss!', leaving just Percy, Jethro and Abby in the lab. Abby opened her mouth to speak, but Jethro held his finger up to his own mouth, signaling her to keep quiet. Abby looked sulky for a moment, and turned back to her computer. Jethro looked at Percy with a slight smile and turned and walked out of the room. Percy followed him, and they stepped into the elevator.

The elevator began to rise, and Jethro hit the kill switch. He turned to Percy, and pressed his body to hers. He walked forward slowly, until Percy was backed against the elevator wall. Percy could feel her heart pound a little harder. Jethro kissed her slowly and deliberately. One hand was wrapped around the back of Percy's neck, and the other traveled softly around her body. Jethro kissed her face with small kisses, leading down to her neck.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise," Percy managed to whisper.

"Is it?" his voice was husky.

"Well, considering we avoided even looking at each other in the wrong way for so long, making out in the elevator seems like a pretty big jump," Percy said, slightly amused. Jethro looked at her with a smile before kissing her on the mouth again, this time with a little more force. Percy felt the lightning travel through her body. She placed her hands on either side of his body and pulled him tightly against her. They kissed for a few more moments, before Jethro pulled away. He flipped the elevator switch back to the on position, and straightened his jacket. Percy leaned against the elevator wall and took a few deep breaths. She righted herself, straightening her own clothes. The elevator came to a stop.

"You're going to pay for that later," she said, giving Jethro a sultry look. He smiled as the elevator doors opened.

* * *

Percy pushed open the door of the women's bathroom for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Ziva stood at the sink, drying her hands. She gave Percy a quick nod as she headed for the door. Percy stepped back, blocking the way out.

"Why do you dislike me so much?" Percy blurted out. Ziva looked slightly taken aback.

"I do not dislike you," she said.

"It sure seems that way," Percy said, flatly.

"Why do you think I do not like you?" Ziva asked.

"I don't know. I guess it could be the fact you think I'm some tricky bitch who is trapping Jethro into something he doesn't want to do," Percy said bluntly.

"I do not think that," Ziva said, avoiding Percy's eyes.

"Yes, you do!" Percy raised her voice in frustration.

"It just seems…weird," Ziva said.

"What's so weird about it?" Percy asked, a little quieter.

"I don't know," Ziva seemed frustrated as well. She stood in front of Percy with her arms crossed.

"Well, I can only assume you dislike something about Jethro and I being together. Before everybody knew, you seemed fine with me," Percy said. Ziva was silent.

"I hate to ask this, but you're not…jealous…are you?" Percy asked, hesitantly. Ziva raised an eyebrow.

"Jealous? Of you and Gibbs?" Ziva laughed as if the idea was absurd.

"Okay then, what is it?" Percy asked, standing firm in front of the door. Ziva looked at the ceiling for a moment.

"Okay! I am jealous," Ziva took a deep breath, "Not in the way you think. I am jealous because it seems like I will never have what you have." Percy was surprised at Ziva's admission.

"Oh, Ziva! Of course you will," Percy comforted. Ziva's face looked slightly sad.

"Certain people cannot see what is front of their own face," she said. Percy thought about it for a moment, quickly realizing what Ziva meant.

"Maybe you should make them see it," she said, softly. Ziva looked at her and gave her a slight smile.

"If they do not see it by now, then they do not _want _to see it," she said.

"I'm sorry, Ziva," Percy said.

"No, it is I who is sorry. I should not have talked about you in that way," Ziva said, sounding genuine. Percy nodded as she stepped aside. Ziva gave her one last look as she left the bathroom.

* * *

Percy lay in bed with her eyes closed; Jethro's body warm against her. He ran his hand softly around her belly, his breath blowing softly on her neck.

"Any predictions about tomorrow?" Percy asked.

"Nah, I want to be surprised," Jethro said.

"So your gut hasn't told you already?" Percy teased. Jethro tickled her in response, causing Percy to squirm.

"What does _your _gut say?" Jethro asked.

"Do you really want to know?" Percy replied.

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't," he retorted with a slightly sarcastic tone.

"I think it's a girl," Percy said softly. She was surprised at how nervous she felt telling him that. She tried to ignore her fears of being compared and falling short.

"If so, I really hope she gets your looks," Jethro said, his tone lighthearted.

"Me too," Percy teased. Jethro laughed and kissed Percy on the neck. Percy pulled Jethro's arm around her and snuggled up close.

"Good night," he whispered.

"Good night," she said.


	13. Chapter 13

Okay, I was able to get this chapter done much sooner than I thought. It just flowed so much easier. I am quite happy with this one.. I hope you like it ! :)

* * *

Percy made a face as the technician spread the cold gel over her belly. Jethro sat in a chair beside the examination table. The technician flipped the ultrasound machine on.

"Are we wanting to find out the gender of the baby today?" the technician asked with a smile.

"Yes," Percy answered quickly, glancing over at Jethro. He smiled at her and took her hand in his own.

"Hopefully they will cooperate with us," the technician said, beginning to move the wand around Percy's belly. Percy smiled when she began to hear the baby's heartbeat. She could feel Jethro's grip tighten on her hand. The technician looked at the screen for a moment, and then turned back toward Percy and Jethro.

"Well, it looks like you're having a little girl, congratulations," she said with a smile. _A girl! A girl…_Percy bit her lip and looked at Jethro. He smiled at her and stood up, leaning over and give her a kiss. Percy smiled as he pulled back.

"Well everything looks great. Heartbeat sounds good, and she looks like she's right on track where she's supposed to be," the technician said.

"Great, that's wonderful," Percy said, feeling a mix of emotions. Since her last minute dramatic trip to Arizona, Percy had kept her comparison fears at bay, but knowing the baby was a girl began to push them back to the surface. She tried to ignore the nagging voices in her head. The technician shut the machine off, and wiped the gel off Percy's stomach. Jethro stood beside her, still holding her hand, his eyes studying her face. Percy smiled at him.

"I guess we can talk about names now," Jethro said, with a slight smile. Percy laughed slightly. The technician gave her the go ahead and slide off the table, and she did.

"Here are your photos, did you have any questions?" the technician asked, as she handed the strip of photos to Percy.

"No, I don't think so, thank you," Percy said.

"Well we'll see you in a couple of months then," the technician said, opening the door for them. Percy and Jethro both waved goodbye and headed down the corridor to the front desk. Percy signed off on the paperwork and they headed out. They walked silently down the office hallway, holding hands.

The car hummed along the highway as they headed to the office.

"When are you going to trust me?" Jethro asked. Percy gave him a surprised look.

"What are you talking about? I trust you with my life!" she said.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," Jethro said, quietly.

"No, I don't know," Percy said, with a feeling she did indeed know.

"I know what you were thinking in there, Percy," he said. _Of course you did._ Percy looked down at her hands resting on her belly.

"I'm_ trying_ not to think it, Jethro, I'm sorry," she said.

"I just want you to know that I am there with you. I'm not somewhere else, with someone else. I'm not comparing this experience to one from the past," he said. Percy blinked back tears.

"I believe you," she said, placing her hand on his thigh.

* * *

Percy stood in her underwear in front of the bedroom mirror and wrinkled her nose at her reflection. She didn't really mind the belly; in fact she rather liked it. But the problem lay with the rest of her. She lifted her head and ran the back of her fingers along her chin. It felt softer than it used to be. There really wasn't a part of her body that wasn't softer than it used to be. Except her stomach, which was getting progressively harder, the larger she got. _Can't I be pregnant without being fat too?_ Percy stood staring at her reflection with her brow furrowed.

"Tell me you're not standing there thinking about how _fat_ you look," Jethro's voice caused Percy to jump. Percy turned around to look at him and frowned.

"I hate that you always know what I'm thinking," she said, turning back to her reflection.

"Not always," he said, coming up behind her, "Just most of the time." Percy couldn't help but smile. Jethro slid his arms around Percy, under her belly. "I happen to think you're _very_ sexy," he said sexily in her ear. Percy smiled to herself and shook her head slightly.

"It's okay if you don't. I don't think I'm particularly sexy anymore. Not that I ever thought I was that sexy to begin with…" Percy said, before being cut off by Jethro.

"Oh, shut up," he said playfully. He moved his hands around Percy's body. Around her belly, down her hips, and up over her lace covered breasts. He slipped his fingertips into the top edge of her panties and ran them around the edge. Percy felt a wave of chills travel down her body. She leaned against him, feeling his erection pressing against her ass. Percy spun around and placed her hands on the back of Jethro's neck, kissing him passionately. He matched her excitement; his mouth almost competing with hers. Percy dropped her hands from his neck and began to make quick work of his clothing. They stopped kissing only long enough to pull his tee shirt over his head. Jethro unfastened Percy's bra and slid it down over her arms. He cupped her naked breasts in his hands and moved them slowly outward, just brushing her nipples with the edges. Percy shivered. She began to push Jethro backward to the bed, and onto it. Percy shed her panties and climbed onto the bed. She straddled his thighs and slowly moved her way upward. She rubbed herself against his erection, causing him to breathe in sharply. He slid himself inside and Percy moaned softly. Her body felt electrified. They began to move together, his hands on her hips. Percy closed her eyes and focused on the sensation. It didn't take long before she was letting out small, high pitched moans. She opened her eyes to look at Jethro. He was biting his lip, and his chest rose and fell sharply, as the pace sped up. Percy could feel it building to a place she almost couldn't stand, before the sudden release. She could feel Jethro dig his fingers into her skin, his hips pressing hard against her. She felt her head spinning slightly. Percy remained where she was for a moment, until she felt Jethro's grip loosen and he moved his hands down to her thighs. She looked down at him and smiled. She slipped off of him and lay down on her back next to him. Jethro rolled onto his side and put his arm around Percy.

"Do you believe me now?" he asked with a smile. Percy laughed slightly.

"Yeah, I do," she said, "At least for now."

"Well, I'll be happy to remind you again later," he said. Percy laughed again.

"We're going to be late for work," she said, looking at him.

"Oh well," he said, kissing her on the nose.

* * *

Percy glanced over at Jethro, who was sitting at his desk reading some report. It was unnaturally quiet with the rest of the team off somewhere. Percy wasn't honestly sure where they were at. Jethro turned his head and met Percy's eyes. She gave him a flirty smile and he raised an eyebrow at her before smiling back. Percy had been unable to focus on work all morning. She felt blissful and strangely sexy after their morning tryst. Jethro's desk phone rang.

"Gibbs," he answered in standard fashion, "Okay, thanks." He hung up the phone. "Abby wants to see us," he said, standing up from his desk. Percy stood up from her own desk and joined him as he headed toward the elevator.

"Both of us? That's kind of weird," Percy said. Jethro just shrugged. They entered the elevator and Jethro hit the button. A few seconds later, Percy flipped the kill switch. Jethro looked surprised. Percy made a near lunge for him and kissed him hotly. They kissed for a moment before Jethro pulled back.

"What's this about?" he asked with a smile.

"I don't know what you did to me this morning…" Percy began. Jethro raised an eyebrow.

"You don't?" he asked playfully. Percy gave him a look.

"I've just been so…well…for lack of a better word, _horny_, all damn morning!" she said.

"Really, now?" his voice was sexy. They kissed again.

"Yes, really," Percy said, in between kisses.

"I guess you're just going to have to wait," Jethro said, before reaching over and flipping the switch for the elevator. Percy let out an exaggerated sigh and they both smiled. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Percy could see that Abby's lab door was closed.

"Okay, that's weird too. Abby almost never shuts her door," Percy said. Jethro reached for the door and opened it.

"Surprise!" a chorus of voices called out, causing Percy to jump. After pausing a moment in the doorway, Jethro and Percy entered the room. Abby was bouncing up and down with excitement.

"Were you surprised Gibbs? Were you?" she asked, excitedly. Jethro smiled in an amused way.

"Yes, Abby, you surprised me," he said, although Percy wasn't entirely sure she believed him.

"We surprised Gibbs!" Abby was nearly beside herself with glee over the fact there may have been something Jethro didn't figure out.

"What about you, Percy, you were surprised to, right?" Tim asked, giving Abby a sideways look. Abby's face flashed a guilty look for a moment.

"Yeah, you were surprised too, right?" Abby asked, biting her lip.

"Yes, Abby, I was surprised. It's okay, I'm much easier to surprise than he is. I understand your excitement," Percy said, smiling reassuringly at Abby. Abby's grin reappeared and she gave Percy a big hug. Percy could see Jethro over Abby's shoulder, giving Percy an amused look. After Abby released her, Percy could take a look around the room. An "It's a Girl" sign hung down from the ceiling, and several bunches of pink balloons were tied around the room. The table where evidence usually resided was covered in a tablecloth and a spread of food.

"This is wonderful, you guys!" Percy said, feeling a surge of emotion.

"I am glad you like it," Ziva said, smiling. Jethro was already standing beside the table, halfway through a cupcake. Percy gave him a look and he nodded his agreement, while popping the rest of the cupcake into his mouth.

"Ooh, we have gifts! Do you want to open them now or do you think we should play a game first? It's totally up to you guys!" Abby gushed.

"Uh, you know, I don't know if we really have _time_ for games, Abs," Tony said, casting a sideways look at Jethro who looked like he agreed. Abby gave Tony a dirty look. Tony shrugged and took a large bite of a cupcake.

"Save some for the rest of us!" Ziva scolded him. Percy laughed.

"We can do gifts first," she said to Abby. Abby smiled and clapped her hands. Ziva motioned to the two chairs positioned in front of Abby's computers. Percy pulled Jethro away from the food and they sat down.

"Ooh, ooh, will you open mine first?" Abby asked, holding out a black gift bag with a mess of hot pink ribbons tied to it. Percy smiled as she took the bag from Abby. She reached inside and pulled out several black onesies, each with a bow-topped skull on it. A plaid bib followed, and then a small stuffed black cat.

"Thanks, Abs," Jethro said, smiling and shaking his head slightly.

"You're welcome!" Abby said in a sing-song voice. They opened the rest of the teams' gifts; both the practical and the practically ridiculous. As if on a timer, after the last gift was opened, Jethro's cell phone went off.

"Gibbs," he answered. He listened for a moment before telling the person on the other end they would be there shortly and hanging up.

"Dead sailor at Quantico, let's go," he said, standing up and motioning to Tony, Ziva and Tim. Tony frowned and put the plate he just assembled back down on the table.

"Don't throw this out. I'll be back for it," he said, pointing to the food. Jethro gave Percy a quick smile and headed out the door, the rest of the team on his heels.

"So, have you guys decided on a name yet?" Abby asked, as soon as the room was clear.

"Not yet, Abby. Actually, we haven't even really started to discuss it. We were waiting to find out if it was a boy or a girl first," Percy said.

"But you're over half way there! You don't have much time left to think about it. You guys better hurry," Abby said, giving Percy a serious look.

"You should be telling him that, not me," Percy said, giving Abby a look.

"I think I'll let you do that," Abby said, before biting into a cupcake. Percy laughed as she picked up a cupcake for herself.


	14. Chapter 14

"Oh…my…god," Percy groaned, settling down on the hotel bed, "I don't think there is a part of me that doesn't hurt right now." Jethro sat down at the end of the bed and pulled off Percy's shoes, tossing them onto the floor. He rubbed her feet and Percy moaned happily.

"Have I mentioned lately that I love you?" she asked, with an amused tone. Jethro just smiled.

"Nice wedding," he said, crawling up onto the bed and lying down beside Percy.

"Yeah, it was nice. Elena looked really beautiful, and happy," Percy agreed. They lay in silence for a few minutes, letting the chaos of the day wear off.

"I think your mother is starting to get a little impatient," Jethro said. Percy made sound somewhere between a laugh and a snort.

"About us getting married?" she asked.

"Yep," he said.

"Was she harassing you about it today?" Percy turned her face toward him.

"I woudn't call it harassment," Jethro smiled, looking at her.

"I'm sorry," Percy apologized.

"Nothing to apologize about," he said. There was another pause. "So, do you know what you want?" Jethro asked.

"Why is it just about what I want?" Percy asked.

"Because you're the one who hasn't had a wedding before," Jethro said.

"Mmm, right," Percy said, looking back at the ceiling, "I don't want some big thing with an expensive dress and two hundred people. I just want to do something really small. Maybe even just go to the courthouse and have a nice dinner afterward."

"Are you sure?" Jethro sounded a little surprised.

"Yeah, I am. I think we should just invite my parents and Elena, your dad, and the team, and that's it," Percy sounded more confident. The more she thought about this idea, the more she liked it.

"Well, you're not going to get any argument out of me," Jethro said, sliding his arm across Percy. Percy laughed slightly.

"I didn't think that I would," she said.

* * *

"But what about your Aunt Geraldine? You know she'd really want to come," Percy's mom said, giving Percy the guilt look across the table. Percy sighed.

"Mom, Aunt Geraldine is eighty-two years old and mostly deaf, I don't think she'll be up for a trip to D.C," she said.

"Well, you can have the wedding here then," Percy's mom said.

"No, Mom, we're having it back at home!" Percy said, giving Jethro a look. He just shrugged slightly and took a drink of his coffee. Percy narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before turning back to her mother.

"Percy, are you sure? Won't you regret it later if you don't have a real wedding?" Percy's mother pleaded.

"No, Mother," Percy said flatly.

"Well, can we at least go look at some dresses before you fly back?" Percy's mother asked in a wounded tone.

"I'm not wearing a…" Percy began.

"Our flight isn't until eight tonight, so you've got time," Jethro interrupted her. Percy shot him another look.

"Thank you, Jethro," Percy's mother said, sounding relieved, "Come on, Percy, throw your poor mother a bone here. If you're not going to have an actual wedding, you can at least wear a white dress."

"Okay, Mother. You're right; let's see what kind of options they have for people who've put the cart before the horse," Percy said, resigned.

"Let me go grab my purse, and I'll meet you in the car," her mother said happily as she rushed out of the room. Percy and Jethro both stood up.

"I thought you were supposed to support my decisions," Percy said, furrowing her brow slightly. Jethro kissed her on the forehead.

"I do. But, this won't hurt anything. Who knows, you might find something you like," he said.

"Mmm hmm," Percy said, grabbing her purse and heading toward the garage.

* * *

"So, how was it? Was the wedding beautiful? Did you guys talk about a name?" Abby bombarded Percy with questions.

"Good to see you too, Abby," Percy laughed, "It was great; really beautiful. Yes, we did talk about names."

"Oh, did you pick one?" Abby's eyes were wide with excitement.

"No, not yet," Percy said.

"Do you have a short list?" Abby still sounded hopeful.

"You could say that," Percy admitted. Abby looked at Percy expectantly.

"Well?" she asked, motioning with her hands.

"We're not telling until the baby is born," Percy said. Abby's mouth dropped open for a moment, and then emitted a disappointment noise.

"Uh! Percy! You can't even tell _me_?" Abby blinked her eyes sweetly.

"Sorry, Abs," Percy said apologetically. Abby frowned and stuck out her lower lip.

"This is so unfair," she pouted.

"What if I tell you something else?" Percy offered, with a smile. Abby looked skeptical.

"What is it?" she asked.

"We know when we're getting married," Percy said. The look of excitement returned to Abby's face and she squealed, wrapping Percy in a hug.

"When? Where? What should I wear?" she asked, jumping up and down a couple of times.

"In three weeks, at the courthouse. Then we're going to dinner. Wear whatever you want," Percy answered. Abby looked thoughtful for a minute.

"Casual, intimate…I like it!" she said, with a grin, "Wait, what are _you _going to wear?"

"Well, actually, I bought a dress in Arizona," Percy said, "A white one. I totally wasn't planning on wearing a typical wedding dress, but my Mom really wanted me to. So, we ended up finding one that was a compromise, and I actually like it. Plus, I don't feel like I'm wearing a tent. I almost feel pretty."

"Aww, Percy, you are pretty!" Abby said with a reassuring smile. Percy smiled back.

"Thanks, Abby," she said.

* * *

"Ugh!" Percy exclaimed, shutting the door behind her, "Traffic was awful. There were three accidents. People must be extra stupid today!" There was silence. Percy headed into the living room. "Jethro?" she called out. No answer. Percy told her heart to quit overreacting.

"Sorry, I'm here," Jethro's voice caused Percy to jump. She turned around to see him standing at the entrance of the hall.

"Where were you?" Percy asked.

"Come with me," Jethro said, motioning Percy over. She joined him as he headed down the hall. He stopped in front of what was going to eventually be the nursery.

"Close your eyes," he said with a smile. Percy laughed slightly, but the look on his face was serious, so she closed her eyes. She heard the door open and Jethro guided her just inside the door.

"Okay, open," he said in her ear. Percy opened her eyes and gasped. Sunshine filtered in through the window, highlighting the golden brown crib perfectly. A dresser in the same color stood against the wall, and a rocking chair sat in the corner. Percy felt happy tears filling her eyes.

"Oh my god, Jethro, they're amazing! How did you…" Percy fumbled over her words, "Have you been getting up in the middle of the night or something?" Jethro laughed.

"Nah," he said, "I figured I'd let you do the decorating. If that's okay."

"Of course…" Percy said, absent mindedly, inspecting the crib, "Did you make all of these?"

"I'm good, but, I'm not that good," Jethro said with a smile, "I just refinished the chair and the dresser."

"They're still incredible," Percy said, turning around to face him. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss.

"You're a good man," she said softly. He glanced at the ceiling for a second before returning his gaze to Percy's face.

"I don't know about that, but I'm glad it makes you happy," he said.

"I love you," Percy said.

"I love you too," Jethro replied. Percy laid her head on his chest, and they stood there quietly for several moments.

"So, what color scheme do you think we should do in here?" Percy asked. Jethro took a step back and looked at her, shaking his head.

"Oh no, that's up to you," he said, turning to exit the room.

"Jethro!" Percy called after him, as she followed him out.


	15. Chapter 15

Percy stared at herself in the mirror as her mother and Elena stood on either side, re-enforcing her hair with even more bobby pins.

"Sweet Jesus, how many bobby pins can one person need?" Elena said in mock exasperation.

"Well, Percy has always had a lot of hair," Percy's mother said, attempting to smooth a rogue hair.

"I could have worn a ponytail," Percy said, watching her mother's expression.

"No, you certainly could not have," her mother said, without missing a beat. Percy ran her hands down the side of her dress. It was simple as far as wedding dresses went, but Percy still felt very much like a bride. She had refused a strapless gown, instead opting for a sleeveless v neck empire waist dress that came only to her knees. The skirt was softly pleated organza, and swished pleasantly whenever Percy moved. Since she had given in to her mother's insistence on a white dress, Percy felt she was entitled to her choice of shoes. She ended up with a pair of bright red leather flats. She loved them. Percy realized that the room had grown quiet, and could see both her mother and Elena looking at her. Elena's face held a wide grin, while Percy's mother had tears in her eyes.

"You look beautiful, baby," she said, squeezing Percy's hand.

"Thanks, Mom," Percy said, feeling a flutter in her stomach.

"We better get going!" Elena said, looking at the clock. Percy was surprised to feel her heart speed up slightly. She honestly hadn't expected to feel the much hyped excitement brides are _supposed_ to feel, but she did. Percy gave herself one last look in the mirror and walked out of the room.

* * *

Percy listened to the clicking of her mother and Elena's heels on the marble of the courthouse as they walked through the foyer. Her own shoes barely made a sound, making her feel very lightweight. They rounded the corner and she could see their little group at the end of the corridor. They were in a tight cluster, and their voices echoed softly down the hall. Percy heard Abby's excited voice rise when she was spotted. The group broke apart and Percy could see Jethro in the middle. He stared at Percy as she approached. She smiled at him nervously. Finally, after what seemed entirely too long, she stood face to face with him. He took her hands in his own.

"You look incredible," he whispered in her ear. Percy could hear the emotion in his voice. Percy leaned her forehead against his neck and took a deep breath.

"You smell really good," Percy said quietly, and Jethro laughed slightly, "I mean, you look great too, of course." Percy looked up and smiled. He wore a charcoal suit with a blue shirt that made his eyes even more intense. Out of the corner of her eye, Percy could see Abby staring at her anxiously. Jethro gave her a quick kiss and nodded his head toward Abby. Percy smiled and headed toward Abby, who bounced up and down excitedly. She threw her arms around Percy, giving her a big bear hug.

"Oh my god, Percy! You look _so_ pretty!" Abby said in a near squeal, "Here, let me take a picture!" Abby stepped back and snapped a photo of Percy. Ziva stood off to the side smiling, shaking her head slightly at Abby. Percy made her way around the group, accepting their hugs and well wishes. A few moments later, the door opened and the clerk stuck out her head.

"Gibbs and Williams? Are you ready?" she asked with a kind smile. A harmonious squeal came from Abby and Elena, who seemed to be becoming fast friends. Percy held her hand out toward Jethro and he took it. As they walked into the courtroom, Percy turned toward him.

"Are you ready?" she whispered.

"Very," he said.

* * *

It was as if the rest of the room had fallen away. There was only the faint voice of the judge in the background. Percy and Jethro faced one another and held hands. _I love you_, Jethro's lips moved but no sound came out. _I love you too_, Percy did the same. She heard the judge clear his throat loudly. They both turned to face him. He smiled knowingly.

"We'll try that again," he said kindly, "Do you Jethro take Percy to be your wife?"

"I do," Jethro said, clearly.

"And do you Percy, take Jethro to be your husband?" the judge asked.

"I do," Percy said, a grin spreading across her face.

"With the power invested in me by the District of Columbia, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride," the judge proclaimed. Jethro put his arms around Percy and kissed her deeply. The small group of onlookers cheered and clapped. Abby was snapping pictures at a furious pace. Percy's mother and Elena held hands while her mother wiped away the tears. There was another round of hugs among the group, and rigorous pats on the back among the men.

"If I can get your signatures on the marriage certificate, you'll be free to get to your celebration," the judge said over the hubbub. Percy and Jethro separated themselves from the group and signed the certificate.

"Thanks for, uh, not using my full name," Percy said quietly. The judge smiled.

"Not a problem," the judge said, signing his own name to the certificate. Jethro and Percy shook hands with the judge and headed back into the group.

"I'm starving, let's go!" Percy said, taking Jethro's hand and leading the way to the door. The rest of the group followed close behind.

* * *

Percy sat back in her seat and regarded the room. Jethro, her freshly minted husband, stood talking with her parents. Abby and Elena were carrying on a rather animated conversation while Tim looked on in slight bewilderment. Ziva sat down in the chair next to Percy, with a drink in her hand.

"Hey Ziva," Percy greeted her, "How many is that now?" Percy motioned toward the drink.

"I do not know," Ziva said with a shrug. Percy raised her eyebrow slightly. "Are you as happy as the world thinks you should be?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah, actually, I think I am," Percy answered.

"Good," Ziva said, with a drunk smile. Percy felt a mixture of concern and amusement at Ziva's inebriated state.

"You'll get there too, Ziva," Percy said reassuringly, placing her arm on Ziva's. Ziva gave her another smile, this time with doubt. She rose from the chair and headed, slightly wobbly, toward Abby and Elena. Just moments later, Tony appeared next to Percy.

"Is Ziva alright?" he asked, sounding concerned. Percy glanced over at Ziva, who was now building something out of silverware.

"Outside of being drunk, yeah, I think she's fine," Percy said.

"Hmmm," Tony said, his eyes still on Ziva. Percy watched Tony watch Ziva for a moment.

"You know, she's probably going to need a little help getting home tonight. Do you think you could keep an eye on her and make sure she's alright?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, of course," Tony said, looking back at Percy.

"Thanks, Tony, I really appreciate it," Percy said with a smile. He nodded at her and left the table. Percy watched him walk away with a smile. _Good luck, Ziva!_

"What were you guys talking about?" Jethro said from over Percy's shoulder, causing her to jump.

"Oh my god, don't sneak up on me like that," Percy chided him.

"I wasn't sneaking. What were you talking about?" Jethro asked again, sitting down.

"I was asking Tony to make sure Ziva got home safely," Percy said, innocently.

"Well, that's good of you," Jethro said, giving her a suspicious look. _How can he possibly know? _Percy leaned over and gave him a quick kiss.

* * *

Percy walked off the elevator and looked around the office. It had only been a week, but it felt like they'd been gone forever. They'd spent a quiet week up in a cabin in the woods and Percy hadn't realized just how much good it would do her. Jethro had gone, unhappily, straight to Los Angeles on the director's request.

"Good morning, Mrs. Boss!" Tony's voice rang out as Percy approached. Percy shot him a look.

"I'm not your boss, Tony," she said.

"Well, you're the boss's wife, so I'm pretty sure that means you're his boss, and therefore are our boss as well," Tony explained, leaning back in his chair.

"If you really thought that, you wouldn't have your feet on your desk," Percy said with a smile. Tony looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Good point," he said. Percy shook her head and turned around, approaching Ziva's desk.

"How are you, Ziva?" Percy asked, curious if the little set up the night of the wedding had led anywhere.

"Very well, thank you," Ziva said, giving Percy a sly smile. Percy raised her eyebrows at Ziva in an inquisitive fashion.

"Glad to hear it. I've missed you guys. Perhaps we should do a girls lunch today and catch up," Percy suggested.

"I would like that," Ziva said.

"Wait a second. A girls' lunch?" Tony sounded offended, "So, you didn't miss me too?"

"Nah, not really," Percy teased, as she sat down at her desk. As soon as she hit the chair, her desk phone rang.

"NCIS, Special Agent Williams," Percy answered the phone.

"I'm sorry, I must have the wrong number," Jethro's voice came through the line. Percy laughed slightly.

"It's going to take a little time to get used to something else, you know," she said.

"I know," Jethro said, with an amused tone, "I just wanted to check in and see if you needed anything."

"Not that I can think of. Thank you though," Percy said, a smile on her face.

"Okay, well, call me if you think of anything," he said.

"I will," Percy assured him.

"Okay, I'll talk to you tonight," Jethro sounded unhappy to end the conversation.

"Love you," Percy said quietly, still feeling a little strange about saying it in front of the team. _I really should be past that by now._

"Love you too," Jethro said, ending the call. Percy could see Tim looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"What?" Percy put on her best Jethro impression.

"Uh, nothing!" Tim said, jumping guiltily. Percy laughed and shook her head. What was there left to hide, anyway?


	16. Chapter 16

Sorry it's been ages since an update. For one, I honestly kind of fizzled out on the story, I lost momentum! So I am just going to end it here for now, and perhaps later I will pick it back up with a sequel. For now, I do have some ideas for a TIVA story, as a spin off, but I am not sure when I will be able to write it. Add me to your favorite author's list if you want to see it.. It will come eventually. I am just super busy right now! Thanks, as always, for reading, and I am certainly open to any prompts, ideas, or whatever, if you want to message me!

* * *

Percy stretched out in the soft, green grass. The sun shone on her face. She felt comfortably sleepy in its warmth. Her brain felt surprisingly empty, but in a good way. _Ouch_. All of the sudden she felt like something was poking her. A moment later, another sharp pain ran through her lower back. The warm sun that felt so warm just a moment go now felt hot on her legs. _Fuck, ow_. Another pain shot through her back and into her abdomen. Percy's eyes flew open. As she waited for her eyes to adjust, she felt wetness between her legs and under her.

"Jethro," Percy managed to whisper. She swallowed. _It's time, oh god, it's time_. "Jethro!" Her voice became clear.

"What's wrong?" Jethro's voice sounded surprisingly awake.

"It's baby time," Percy said, still staring at the ceiling. Jethro immediately jumped out of the bed and came around to Percy's side. He kneeled down by the side of the bed and ran his hand over Percy's forehead.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Percy turned to face him.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said, a smile beginning to spread across her face, "I just can't believe it's time." Jethro smiled back. Another pain shot through her stomach and back, causing Percy to grimace.

"You ready to go?" Jethro asked. Percy took a deep breath and blew it out.

"Yes, let's go!" she said, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Jethro got up and grabbed the bag out of the chair in the corner of the room. He paused and looked back at Percy, who was standing by the bed.

"What's wrong?" he looked nervous. Percy fought the urge the smile. She had never seen him look so nervous. She had never really seen him look nervous at all.

"I'm not going to the hospital in a wet nightgown," she said, evenly. Jethro seemed to regain his composure.

"Of course not," he said, putting the bag on the bed. He walked over the chest of drawers and pulled out an oversized tee shirt and a pair of athletic shorts. He made his way quickly back to Percy and held them out. Percy pulled the nightgown gingerly over her head and slipped off her underwear. She put the clothes on, feeling comforted by the fact they were his. She slipped her feet into a pair of flip flops, as Jethro slid on his own shoes and picked the bag back up.

"Ready?" he asked, holding his free hand out toward Percy. She took it with a smile.

"Ready," she said, as they headed out of the room.

* * *

Jethro's phone went off again.

"Don't answer it," Percy said, "Turn it off." She didn't have to tell him twice. He shut the phone off and placed it on the table. "I want to enjoy the last few minutes of peace and quiet without constant interruption," Percy said. Another contraction came, and her body tightened up. She closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath in and blew it out, trying to remember what they had told her. Jethro squeezed her hand.

"You're doing great," he said, encouragingly. Percy opened her eyes and gave him a look.

"I'm really not doing anything yet," she said, a note of irritation in her voice. Jethro smiled and leaned over to kiss her forehead. There was silence for a moment.

"I'm scared," Percy said, feeling a sudden urge to cry. Jethro ran his hand over her forehead.

"It'll be over before you know it" he said softly. Percy wiped a stray tear from her face.

"That's not what I'm scared off," she said. Jethro looked slightly puzzled.

"What are you scared of?" he asked.

"Being a lousy mother," Percy said, wiping away several tears this time.

"You're going to be a great mother," Jethro sounded confident.

"How do you know?" Percy asked, looking at him with a furrowed brow. Another contraction. Percy squeezed Jethro's hand tightly and grimaced.

"I know because I know you," he said, after Percy's grip had relaxed.

"That's vague," Percy said, in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"I don't know how else to explain it. All I know is what my gut tells me," Jethro said, with a slight smile. Percy couldn't help but smile.

"I guess I have no option other than to believe you," she said.

"I guess not," he replied, leaning over to give her a kiss.

* * *

In an instant, all the noise of the delivery room fell away. Percy looked down at the red, screaming, little bundle in her arms. She had never seen anything so perfect in her life. She felt a hand brush the tears off her cheek. She looked up at Jethro, who looked like she had never seen him.

"We did good," Percy said, smiling at him. He smiled as well.

"Yes, we did," he said, kissing her on the forehead.

* * *

"Oh my god!" Abby squealed softly, as she entered the hospital room. A mile wide smile was plastered across her face, and Ziva was right on her heels. They approached the side of the bed and Abby leaned over to give Percy a careful hug.

"So, what's her name?" Abby asked, with an excited look in her eyes. Percy smiled at her enthusiasm and gave Jethro an amused look.

"It's Anastasia Hope," Percy said. Abby squealed, as quietly as one can squeal, in delight.

"That's a beautiful name!" she said, with a slight bounce.

"It really is a wonderful name," Ziva agreed.

"Thank you," Percy said, looking down at Anastasia, who was sleeping in her arms.

"Oh, oh, I got this!" Abby said, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small stuffed gargoyle and gently laid it against Anastasia. "From Aunt Abby!" she said, with a grin.

"Thanks, Abs," Jethro said, with a smile. Percy felt a fresh wave of exhaustion rush over her and yawned.

"We should let you rest," Ziva suggested, taking Abby by the arm. Abby frowned slightly but nodded, waving goodbye as they headed out of the room. Jethro pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down. He gently stroked the side of Anastasia's face, and then reached up, doing the same for Percy. She smiled softly.

"You look so beautiful," he said, in a near whisper.

"I think that you've really been blinded by love this time," Percy said with a slight laugh.

"Maybe, but, is that such a bad thing?" he asked, his expression soft but still intense.

"No, I guess it's not," Percy said. She kissed her baby girl on the forehead and closed her eyes. _Life itself has never looked so beautiful._


End file.
